The Conflict With Ammon and The Rise and Victory of Jephthah (Judges 10:17 to Judges 11:40).
‘Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead.'
It may well be that the Ammonites and their allies saw the religious reformation in Israel as an act of rebellion. The Ammonites had placed their gods in Gilead and now they had been torn down, and what was more, the people of Israel here had been consorting with others in their tribal confederacy (a result of the reformation). This could only spell danger. It may also be that they had withheld tribute. So the armies of Ammon and their allies invaded Gilead, and encamped there, to find out what was happening, and to frighten Gilead into submission. ‘Gilead' here probably represents the whole of the Beyond Jordan tribes.
‘And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped at Mizpah.'
In conformity with their renewed faith in Yahweh, and recognising that they must prepare to fight with Ammon, Israel also gathered together and set up camp. ‘Israel' here probably means the Beyond Jordan tribes. But they had one problem, they needed a champion.
Mizpah. The word means ‘watchtower'. There were thus a number of Mizpahs. This one was in Gilead and was where Jephthah set up house. It may be the same as Ramath-Mizpeh - ‘the height of Mizpah' (Joshua 13:26). Some have thus connected it with Ramoth Gilead, but this is uncertain.