Pretty common story. The legitimate brothers, fearing they might have to share, hang up on the older, illegitimate brother, Jephthah, and force him to leave his home in Gilead.

Later the Gilead elders got scared and approach Jephthah, now a strong soldier, and beg him to come and be their leader and fight the Ammonites. His response was normal. “You ran me off. Why ask me to help?”

Jephthah finally agrees to fight but with one stipulation. If God helps him win, then he will be the new leader of Gilead.

God stood by Jephthah and guided his leadership.

Jealous, the brothers kicked him out; desperate, they begged him to come back. Ironic, isn’t it? With God’s help, Jephthah wins big! A little humiliating for the brothers. Do you think they were ever really happy with this situation?

Jealousy always sets in motion a continuing series of ruinous circumstances.

For jealous people, words spoken or not, there will always be trouble. I’m not certain I have the saying correct, but it goes something like this. “You’ll always eat your foolish words.” Jephthah’s brothers definitely did.