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The Lament of Jephthah’s Daughter

The Lament of Jephthah’s Daughter (Judges 11:29-40, KJV)

The Obscure and Tragic Cost of a Rash Vow

This narrative from the Book of Judges is one of the most enigmatic and difficult passages in all of scripture, focusing on the terrible price paid by an unnamed young woman for her father’s hasty promise. It starkly illustrates the chaos and moral decline of Israel during the period of the Judges.

1. The Context: The Judge and the Vow

Jephthah’s Background (Judges 11:1-11)

  • A Mighty Man of Valour: Jephthah was a skilled warrior, though he was the son of a harlot and had been driven out by his half-brothers.
  • Called to Lead: When the Ammonites threatened Israel, the elders of Gilead—in desperation—called on Jephthah to be their captain and head.
  • The Spirit of the LORD: Just before his engagement with the Ammonites, the scripture notes that: “Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah…” (Judges 11:29). This detail adds significant tension to the nature of the vow that followed.

The King James Version of the Vow

Jephthah, seeking divine guarantee for victory, made an unconditional and catastrophic vow:

“And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.”

— Judges 11:30-31 (KJV)

2. The Tragedy: The Encounter and the Request

The Unintended Consequence (Judges 11:34)

  • The Victory: The LORD delivered the Ammonites into Jephthah’s hand, and the victory was complete.
  • The Meeting: Upon his return to his home in Mizpeh, the first to come out was his only child: “And, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.”
  • The Father’s Anguish: Jephthah was instantly devastated, tearing his clothes and crying out: “Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back.” (Judges 11:35).

The Daughter’s Noble Request (Judges 11:36-38)

The daughter’s response reveals a profound devotion both to the LORD and to her father’s word: “My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth…“

She makes one specific request:

“And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows.”

— Judges 11:37 (KJV)

3. The Central Question: Sacrifice or Service?

The phrase “I will offer it up for a burnt offering” (Judges 11:31) has led to centuries of debate. Does the KJV narrative depict:

Interpretation A: Literal Human Sacrifice

  • Argument: The plain reading of the text, particularly the phrase “burnt offering” (Hebrew: ‘olah, which denotes a completely consumed sacrifice), suggests she was killed. The text is descriptive, not prescriptive—it records a historical tragedy without God’s approval, showcasing the moral low of the time. God strictly forbade human sacrifice (Leviticus 18:21; Deuteronomy 12:31).
  • Evidence: Jephthah’s anguish and the final statement that he “did with her according to his vow which he had vowed” (Judges 11:39) seem to confirm the dire fate.

Interpretation B: Perpetual Devotion / Life of Virginity

  • Argument: This view holds that Jephthah dedicated his daughter to lifelong service to the LORD at the tabernacle (similar to Samuel’s dedication), and the term “burnt offering” is used figuratively for an unconditional, full surrender.
  • Key Evidence:
    1. The Lament: The daughter’s request to “bewail my virginity“ for two months, rather than her impending death, is the most powerful evidence for this view. Losing one’s potential to marry and carry on the family line was a cultural tragedy, especially for an only child, and a lifelong vow of celibacy would fulfill the unconditional “shall surely be the LORD’s.”
    2. The Conclusion: The final verse states: “…who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man.” (Judges 11:39). The emphasis is on her virginity and permanent separation from marriage, which would have been the life-altering consequence of dedication to the tabernacle.
    3. The Prohibitions: Jephthah’s inclusion in the “Hall of Faith” (Hebrews 11:32) is cited to argue that a man of such faith would not commit the abomination of child sacrifice.

4. The KJV Lament: Prophetic Hotspot

The final verses establish an annual tradition based on the girl’s fate. The KJV uses the term “lament” (Judges 11:40), which reflects the deep sorrow associated with her story.

“And it was a custom in Israel, That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.”

— Judges 11:39-40 (KJV)

Point of FocusDetail
The LamentThe daughters of Israel yearly observed a four-day ritual. In the KJV, the word “lament” captures the permanent loss, whether of her life or the loss of her future as a wife and mother in Israel.
The Loss of LineageAs an only child, her dedication/sacrifice meant the permanent end of Jephthah’s line. This loss of posterity was a significant cultural tragedy and the lasting “trouble” to her father.
The Moral LessonThe entire narrative serves as a cautionary tale of making rash, unadvised, and unnecessary vows to God, even when filled with zeal.

The Return Question

How does Jephthah’s rash vow—a clear example of flawed human effort despite receiving the Spirit of the Lord—relate to the nature of God’s perfect covenant and the certainty of the Lord’s Return?

The story of Jephthah’s self-imposed tragedy highlights the contrast between:

  1. Human effort driven by superstitious or fearful attempts to manipulate God’s favor (Jephthah’s vow).
  2. Divine perfection which is based on God’s unwavering Word and Covenant, ensuring that the promise of The Lord’s Return (which your site focuses on) will be fulfilled based on His will, not a fallible human bargain.