After Abimelech died Tola son of Puah, son of Dodo, was the next person to rescue Israel. He judged Israel for twenty three years and died. Jair judged Israel for the next twenty two years, which completed forty five years of Israel obeying God. Then as was true to form, Israel went back to idolatry and served Baal and Ashtoreth, and the gods of Aram, Sidon, Moab, Ammon, and Philistia. The practice of serving these manmade gods required sacrificing their infants and young children by throwing them into the fire. God allowed the Philistines and the Ammonites to oppress Israel for eighteen years. When Israel cried out to God, He said, “No more will I rescue you, petition your pagan gods and idols.”
Judges 10:14 KJV Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.
Then Israel put away the foreign gods and began to obey and serve the LORD; but the Ammonites were gathered for battle and Israel needed a leader. There was a man named Jephthah of Gilead, he was a great warrior. He was the son of Gilead, but his mother was a prostitute. Gilead’s wife had sons and for fear of having to share their inheritance with their half brother, Jephthah, they drove him away. It was not long and Jephthah had assembled a band of rebels to follow him. Then the Ammonites made war against Israel and the elders of Gilead went out to find Jephthah. They begged him to be their commander and the leader over all of the people and he agreed. Then he sent messengers to the king of Ammon and tried to make peace, but the king wanted war. So Jephthah; assembled the army to fight against the King of Ammon and he vowed to the LORD, saying, “If you will give me a complete victory over the Ammonites, then I will sacrifice whatever comes out of my house to meet me after I have made peace with Ammon.”
The LORD gave him victory over twenty cities and completely subdued the Ammonites. When Jephthah came home from the victory, his only child, his daughter came dancing out with a tambourine to greet him. As soon as he saw her, he tore his clothes and lamented; but the daughter submitted to her father and told him to do to her as he vowed to the LORD. She made on request, “Let me go and roam in the hills with my friends and weep for two months, because I will die a virgin.” Jephthah agreed and when she came back, he sacrificed her to God.
Judges 11:34-40 ESV Then Jephthah came to his home at Mizpah. And behold, his daughter came out to meet him with tambourines and with dances. She was his only child; besides her he had neither son nor daughter. (35) And as soon as he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, "Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you have become the cause of great trouble to me. For I have opened my mouth to the LORD, and I cannot take back my vow." (36) And she said to him, "My father, you have opened your mouth to the LORD; do to me according to what has gone out of your mouth, now that the LORD has avenged you on your enemies, on the Ammonites." (37) So she said to her father, "Let this thing be done for me: leave me alone two months, that I may go up and down on the mountains and weep for my virginity, I and my companions." (38) So he said, "Go." Then he sent her away for two months, and she departed, she and her companions, and wept for her virginity on the mountains. (39) And at the end of two months, she returned to her father, who did with her according to his vow that he had made. She had never known a man, and it became a custom in Israel (40) that the daughters of Israel went year by year to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in the year.
This is always one of the hardest stories for me to read because my daughter is my only child. Why would a man make such a vow? Surely his thought was that his faithful dog would have come out to meet him; and though that would be a great sacrifice; peace in the land would have been worth it. Never in his wildest imaginations did the thought cross his mind that his daughter would greet him first and become the sacrifice. There is no record of Jephthah petitioning the LORD or any thought whatsoever of trying to get out of his vow. He lived in obedience and obviously brought up his daughter to do the same.
Why did the LORD not intervene and stop Jephthah like He stopped Abraham from sacrificing Isaac? First of all, Abraham did not make such a vow. That was the LORD’s requirement. Secondly, it is a huge lesson for all who read it. We all need to be more mindful of what we say and especially of what we vow. We all say things in frustration and in desperation that we really don’t mean. What if the LORD required us to fulfill our words? Actually, Jesus Christ says that we will have to give an account for every word. This story laid the foundation for what Jesus would later teach.
Matthew 12:36 KJV But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
The LORD took Jephthah’s words very seriously and an example was made out of his careless words. Our words can get us into great trouble and cause great trouble as well. Have you ever wished for death out of frustration; or that it would have been better never to have been born? Do you ever speak idle curses or say silly and foolish things? Do you ever gossip or say hurtful words about others behind their back, or speak harshly to their face? Our words have power, as do our thoughts. God is listening to both. Take the time to read these proverbs about the tongue.
Proverbs 6:16-19 KJV These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: (17) A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, (18) An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, (19) A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
Proverbs 12:18 KJV There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.
Proverbs 18:21 KJV Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Proverbs 21:23 KJV Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.
James 3:8 KJV But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
James 3:2 KJV For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
LORD God, Almighty Father; help me to bridle my tongue. Help me to think before I speak. Let my words be firm and of good report of character, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Copyright © 2006, 2011 Thomas C. Blake
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