Jephthah’s Vow to the Lord
September 13, 2021
Commentary
Jephthah wanted victory over the Ammonites so badly that he made a foolish vow to God (vv. 29-31). If God would permit him to triumph over Ammon, he would offer up as a sacrifice the first thing that walked through the door of his house to meet him after the battle. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah and the enemy could not withstand his power and the battle was won (vv. 32-33). His only daughter was the first to greet him when he returned home in triumph (v.34). The terms of his vow were disaster, but he had to keep them (v. 35). It would be hard to overestimate the fearful strength of a vow to the Lord by the Hebrews and especially one that made the vow.
It seems that Jephthah’s daughter had already suspected the content of her father’s rash vow even before he divulged it openly and she submitted herself immediately to what awaited her (vv. 36-40). No matter how foolish the vow may have been we must at least respect this man and his daughter who were loyal, at such a cost. This is the termination of the clan of Jephthah since this was his only child. Thus, the moment of triumph also brought about a moment of tragedy.
Application
Have I ever promised God that I would do something and then gone back on my vow? “It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not keep it.” Are there any vows I have made I need to renew?
Judges 11:29– 40 (NET)
29 The Lord’s Spirit empowered Jephthah. He passed through Gilead and Manasseh and went to Mizpah in Gilead. From there he approached the Ammonites. 30 Jephthah made a vow to the Lord, saying, “If you really do hand the Ammonites over to me, 31 then whoever is the first to come through the doors of my house to meet me when I return safely from fighting the Ammonites—he will belong to the Lord and I will offer him up as a burnt sacrifice.” 32 Jephthah approached the Ammonites to fight with them, and the Lord handed them over to him. 33 He defeated them from Aroer all the way to Minnith—twenty cities in all, even as far as Abel Keramim. He wiped them out! The Israelites humiliated the Ammonites.
34 When Jephthah came home to Mizpah, there was his daughter hurrying out to meet him, dancing to the rhythm of tambourines. She was his only child; except for her he had no son or daughter. 35 When he saw her, he ripped his clothes and said, “Oh no! My daughter! You have completely ruined me! You have brought me disaster! I made an oath to the Lord, and I cannot break it.” 36 She said to him, “My father, since you made an oath to the Lord, do to me as you promised. After all, the Lord vindicated you before your enemies, the Ammonites.” 37 She then said to her father, “Please grant me this one wish. For two months allow me to walk through the hills with my friends and mourn my virginity.” 38 He said, “You may go.” He permitted her to leave for two months. She went with her friends and mourned her virginity as she walked through the hills. 39 After two months she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed. She died a virgin. Her tragic death gave rise to a custom in Israel. 40 Every year Israelite women commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite for four days.