Judges 12:7

‘ And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.'

Jephthah ‘judged Israel' for six years. That is was responsible for acting as God's representative over a part of Israel for six years. All who judged a part of Israel were seen as ‘judging Israel'. He may have died from wounds, or disease, for his life was short. And he never received acceptance by his family for there was no room for him in the family grave. He was buried ‘somewhere in Gilead'. To man he was an outcast to the end. But he was accepted by God.

“Six years.” In view of the seven years of Ibzan and the ten of Elon, this may indicate a life cut short, falling short of the seven.