Jephthah’s final argument: he hadn’t declared war on Ammon; it was Ammon that declared war on Israel.  

Judges 11:29 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh, and passed through Mizpah of Gilead; and from Mizpah of Gilead he advanced toward the people of Ammon.

Empowered by the Spirit of God, Jephthah called for volunteers and mustered his army. Mizpeh was the capital, his base of operations

The Lord gave him victory over the Ammonites, and he captured 20 of their strongholds as he pursued the fleeing enemy army.  This would guarantee freedom and safety for Israel as they traveled in the territory of Gilead. The Ammonites didn’t threaten Israel for another 50 years.

What have we learn so far, the circumstances of birth or of family are not a handicap to the person who will live by faith.

Jephthah was installed as the captain and leader, and after an attempt at negotiation, he attacked and soundly defeated the Ammonites. However, the excitement of winning caused him to offer his famed ill-considered vow.

Jephthah made a bargain: If God would give the Israelites victory over the Ammonites, Jephthah would sacrifice to the Lord whatever came out of his house when he arrived home in Mizpah.  God gave him victory, and Jephthah kept his promise.  

But what was his promise and how did he keep it? 

What actually happened to Jephthah’s daughter, his only child?  The more you study Jephthah’s vow, the more puzzling it becomes.  Questions to ask.

• How did he know who or what would come out of the door of his house?
• What if the first thing to greet him happened to be an unclean animal that was unacceptable to God?
• What if that person turned out to be a neighbor’s child or a visiting stranger
• What right did Jephthah have to take either life, and thereby offer to God a sacrifice that cost him nothing?
• He knew that God didn’t approve of, or accept, human sacrifices.
• The Ammonites worship put their children through the fire of Molech.
• Where would He offer his daughter as a sacrifice?
• The Lord only accepted sacrifices at the Tabernacle altar.
• Sacrifices had to be offered by the Levitical priests.
• He would have to travel to Shiloh to fulfill his vow.
• It’s doubtful that a priest would offer a human sacrifice on the altar.
• Shiloh lies in the territory of the Ephraim, who had a deadly feud.
• A burnt offering had to be a male, not a female. (Peace offering – both)
• Would a Spirit-empowered man, committed to the Lord, even make such a vow?

We know it is acceptable to God to make vows, provided they obeyed the laws governing them.  Vows were completely voluntary, but the Lord expected the vow to be fulfill.

Judges 11:30-31 And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD, and said, “If You will indeed deliver the people of Ammon into my hands,  (31)  then it will be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the people of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD’s, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.”

Two different parts, with “and” between the two parts.

When we look at many different translations, they all have the word “and” except for one, and they use the word “or”.  

Judges 11:31 YLT then it hath been, that which at all cometh out from the doors of my house to meet me in my turning back in peace from the Bene-Ammon–it hath been to Jehovah, or I have offered up for it–a burnt-offering.’  Young LT

Several authorities point out that the little word “and” (v.31), in the Hebrew is the single letter w, waw, which can either be translated “and” or “or”.  This implies that whatever met him when he returned home would be dedicated to the Lord (if a person), or sacrificed to the Lord (if an animal).

If he was met by his daughter, Jephthah would give her to the Lord to serve God at the Tabernacle.

Exodus 38:8 He made the laver of bronze and its base of bronze, from the bronze mirrors of the serving women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.

1 Samuel 2:22 Now Eli was very old; and he heard everything his sons did to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.  (Samuel 931-877 B.C.)

She would remain a virgin, which meant that she would not know the joys of motherhood or continue her father’s inheritance in Israel.  This would be reason enough for her and her friends to spend two months grieving. 

Remember, children were the retirement for old parents.    As a side, is this where the Catholics found the example for Nuns.

Judges 11:33 And he defeated them from Aroer as far as Minnith—twenty cities—and to Abel Keramim, with a very great slaughter. Thus the people of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel. 

Judges 11:34-36  When Jephthah came to his house at Mizpah, there was his daughter, coming out to meet him with timbrels and dancing; and she was his only child. Besides her he had neither son nor daughter.  (35)  And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he tore his clothes, and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low! You are among those who trouble me! For I have given my word to the LORD, and I cannot go back on it.”  (36)  So she said to him, “My father, if you have given your word to the LORD, do to me according to what has gone out of your mouth, because the LORD has avenged you of your enemies, the people of Ammon.”

Judge 11:37  Then she said to her father, “Let this thing be done for me: let me alone for two months, that I may go and wander on the mountains and bewail my virginity, my friends and I.”

Judges 11:38-40 So he said, “Go.” And he sent her away for two months; and she went with her friends, and bewailed her virginity on the mountains.  (39)  And it was so at the end of two months that she returned to her father, and he carried out his vow with her which he had vowed. She knew no man. And it became a custom in Israel  (40)  that the daughters of Israel went four days each year to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.

Nowhere in the text does it indicate that Jephthah actually killed his daughter, nor do we find anyone bewailing her death.  The emphasis is on remaining a virgin.

If Jephthah was going to kill his daughter, he would want her home with himself, not running around on the mountains with her girlfriends. Why would the girl lament her virginity if she expected to die?  Of what significance is virginity if you’re heading for the grave?  She would have been lamenting her impending death instead.

Leviticus 27:1-34: covers the Laws about vows, including and specific Samuel the Prophet,  in verse 28.

Leviticus 27:28 However, anything utterly devoted to the Lord—people, animals, or inherited fields—shall not be sold or redeemed, for they are most holy to the Lord.

Interesting, this is the only vow to God, cannot be redeemed, that I know of.  One vow that is devoted to God and we are required to keep it.  Cannot get out of in any way.

I personally do not believe Jephthah daughter was killed or sacrifice.  The Scriptures, he did know the Scriptures, tells him what he could do and to how handle the vow. 

• She was dedicated to God, just as Samuel was, and
• She served out her life serving in the Tabernacle.
• She did not bewailed her death, but her virginity.

Two different parts, with connective “or/and” between the two parts of a sentence.

When we look at many different translations, they all seem to have the word “and” except for one, and they use the word “or”.  

Judges 11:31 YLT then it hath been, that which at all cometh out from the doors of my house to meet me in my turning back in peace from the Bene-Ammon–it hath been to Jehovah, or I have offered up for it–a burnt-offering.’  Young LT

• The use of the particle, which many interpreters suggest, introduces the important alternative,
• that if it were a person, the dedication would be made to the service of the sanctuary;
• if a proper animal {clean} or thing, it would be offered on the altar.

Several authorities point out that the little word “or/and” (v.31),

• In the Hebrew is the single letter w, waw, this connective which can either be translated “and” or “or”.
• This implies that whatever met him when he returned home would be dedicated to the Lord (if a person),

• Or sacrificed to the Lord (if an animal).

If he was met by his daughter, Jephthah would give his daughter to the Lord to serve God at the Tabernacle, same a Samuel was done.

Exodus 38:8 He made the laver of bronze and its base of bronze, from the bronze mirrors of the serving women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.

1 Samuel 2:22 Now Eli was very old; and he heard everything his sons did to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.  (Samuel 931-877 B.C.)

• She would remain a virgin, which meant that
• She would not know the joys of motherhood or
• Continue her father’s inheritance in Israel.

This would be reason enough for her and her friends to spend two months grieving

After using some common sense, Biblical principles and knowing what the Lord Wants, likes and dislikes, and His Righteous Characteristics, we can see what the Scriptures really say.  I cannot really see his daughter as a sacrifice but dedicate to the Work of the Lord, as a Temple servant. 

I personally do not believe Jephthah daughter was killed.  The Scriptures, he did know the Scriptures, tells him what he could do and to how handle the vow.  She was dedicated to God, just as Samuel was, and she served out her life serving the Tabernacle. She did not bewailed her death, but her virginity.