The answer is: He was illegitimate and his brothers drove him out

Judges 11:1-3

Jephthah's story in the Book of Judges reveals a lot about societal norms and personal struggles in ancient Israel. Fleeing to the land of Tob, he created a fascinating backdrop for his later exploits. When you're labeled as illegitimate due to your family's background, it's no surprise you'd face rejection. His half-brothers didn’t just drive him away; they embodied the cultural stigmas surrounding birth and lineage.

Now, when Jephthah found refuge in Tob, which was located east of the Jordan River, he wasn’t lounging around waiting for his applications to be accepted. Instead, he became the head of a band of adventurers—kind of like the ancient equivalent of a ragtag group of misfits! It’s interesting to note that this land was likely inhabited by the Ammonites. So here’s Jephthah, a rejected son of Israel, gathering strength right around the very people Israel would soon battle.

This story has echoes of redemption. Jephthah’s background of rejection didn’t hold him back from achieving greatness. Just imagine this guy—once looked down upon, yet leading an army and striking a pact with God, reportedly vowing to offer a sacrifice without recognizing the repercussions of leadership (Spoiler: it turns tragic!). And isn’t it a medium of hope we often see swirling in incredible Florentine narratives through the Scriptures where even the most marginalized find a path that others may not envision? The complexity of these narratives continues across generations.