noun
- a judge of Israel. Judges 11, 12.
noun
- Old Testament a judge of Israel, who sacrificed his daughter in fulfilment of a vow (Judges 11:12–40)Douay spelling: Jephte (ˈdʒɛftə)
biblical judge of Israel, from Greek Iephthae, from Hebrew Yiphtah, literally “God opens,” imperfective of pathah “he opened” (cf. pethah “opening, entrance”).