שופטים, פרק י״ב, פסוק ג׳

A tense confrontation unfolds as a victorious leader faces the bitter complaints of his fellow tribesmen. Jephthah stands before the men of Ephraim, sharply exposing the deep divide between their past failure to act and their sudden outrage in the present. He explains that after waiting a considerable amount of time for their assistance and realizing that no rescue was coming, he understood there was no longer any reason to beg for their help [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם].

Left with no other choice, he took matters into his own hands and entered the battlefield alone, placing himself in grave danger [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This extreme risk is compared to a person holding an object in an open palm, where it can easily slip and fall. By going to war with only a small group of men, he left himself completely exposed, knowing he could easily fall to the enemy [מצודת דוד].

Despite the overwhelming odds, the victory was ultimately secured through Divine providence, as God delivered the enemy directly into his power [מלבי״ם]. With this undeniable success behind him, he directs a piercing question at his accusers, highlighting the complete lack of logic in their actions. They ignored his earlier pleas for help, yet now that the battle is won without their involvement, they arrive fully prepared to argue and fight against him [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Had he been defeated, they might have had a valid argument, claiming that a massive army from Ephraim could have guaranteed a victory if only he had called for them. However, since God already granted him the triumph, their current anger is entirely baseless [מצודת דוד].