Judges 11:10The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, "Yahweh shall be witness between us; surely according to your word so will we do."
The setting
Solemn moment in Gilead. Tribal elders invoke Yahweh's name to seal their desperate bargain. Modern-day Jordan.
The emotion here: reverent fear while sealing fateful agreement
The original word
shāma' (שָׁמַע) — witness, hear; implies God actively listening and will hold them accountable
Why it matters
Breaking an oath made in God's name was considered a capital offense punishable by divine judgment
Read with care
What most readers miss in Judges 11:10
They're not just making a promise — they're calling down divine judgment on themselves if they break it
Common misconceptionPeople think this is just formal religious language, but they're literally putting their lives on the line before God.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Judges 11:10
Bible Genome reading
Judges 11:10 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Judges 11:10 comes from the book of Judges, written during the judges period. These words are attributed to elders of Gilead. The dominant emotion in this verse is worship, with a comfort power of 50% and a tone that is reverent. It belongs to the dialogue genre of biblical literature. Key themes include covenant, divine witness. Notable phrases: Yahweh shall be witness; according to your word. This verse contains a promise of God.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same worship
“Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God; Yahweh is one:”
— Deuteronomy 6:4
“and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”
— Deuteronomy 6:5
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:”
— Ecclesiastes 3:1
“Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.”
— John 14:6
“Jesus said to them, "Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM."”
— John 8:58
Your reflection
What does Judges 11:10 mean to you, today?
A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.
Speak your heart →Get 3 verses for "worship"
Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.