Judges 12:2,3

When I called you, ye delivered me not He answers them with great mildness, but denies their charge. He affirms that he had begged their assistance, but they had refused to grant it. When I saw that ye delivered me not When I became sensible that there was no hope of your assistance to preserve us from ruin; I put my life in my hand That is, I exposed myself to the utmost danger; as a man that carries a brittle and precious thing in his hand, which may easily either fall to the ground or be snatched from him. He had but a small part of the people of Israel with him, to encounter their powerful oppressors. And passed over against the children of Ammon With such forces only as I could raise on the east of Jordan, Judges 11:29. Wherefore are ye come up? Why do ye thus requite my kindness in running such hazards to defend and preserve you and yours? Jephthah here manifests an excellent spirit and great wisdom. He would have prevented the civil war had it been possible.