JEPHTHAH’S VICTORY AND SHORTCOMINGS

Judges 11:29-40 / Keywords 11:32

Then Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites, and the LORD gave them into his hands.

11:29 Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jephthah. He crossed Gilead and Manasseh, passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from there he advanced against the Ammonites. 30 And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord: “If you give the Ammonites into my hands, 31 whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.”

32 Then Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites, and the Lord gave them into his hands. 33 He devastated twenty towns from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith, as far as Abel Keramim. Thus Israel subdued Ammon.

34 When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of timbrels! She was an only child. Except for her he had neither son nor daughter. 35 When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, “Oh no, my daughter! You have brought me down and I am devastated. I have made a vow to the Lord that I cannot break.”

36 “My father,” she replied, “you have given your word to the Lord. Do to me just as you promised, now that the Lord has avenged you of your enemies, the Ammonites. 37 But grant me this one request,” she said. “Give me two months to roam the hills and weep with my friends, because I will never marry.”

38 “You may go,” he said. And he let her go for two months. She and her friends went into the hills and wept because she would never marry. 39 After the two months, she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed. And she was a virgin.

From this comes the Israelite tradition 40 that each year the young women of Israel go out for four days to commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.

1. Jephthah was known as a mighty warrior. He had the spiritual and historical knowledge to defend Israel’s rightful ownership of the Promised Land. He also had the discernment to let the Spirit of the Lord lead him into a battle. These were qualifications to be a leader of God’s people. Yet he made a foolish vow to God to give whoever comes out of his house first upon his return as a burnt offering (31). He lacked trust and respect for the Creator God, who has absolute control of all things.

2. Jephthah and his fellow Israelites won a great victory as the Lord willed (32-33). However, he faced the consequences of his vow when his only daughter was the first one who came out to greet him in joy (34-35). It is unclear if Jephthah’s daughter was given as a human offering since Mosaic law forbids such practice (Lev 18:21; Dt 12:31). Popular belief is that she was unmarried and remained in seclusion as a Lord’s servant (39,40). Apart from speculation, this passage gives us a valuable lesson. A spiritual leader must trust in God, know that victory is his (Dt 20:4), and overcome fear (Jos 10:8).

Prayer Father, thank you for your words. Please help me to have courage in you to stand against the world today.

One Word Trust the Lord