“Say what you mean and mean what you say,” my mother told me too many times to recall. I certainly talked plenty, so she probably wanted me to learn to measure my words.
Sometimes our words become our weights.
For example, recently my family and I shopped for a house, and I promised my daughter I’d take her to the park that day. Then house shopping morphed into all day house budgeting. If we wanted to purchase the lot that butted up to the woods with the creek, we needed to make a decision—now.
Late into the afternoon, my brown-eyed, six-year-old with a head full of spiral curls looked up at me with tears in her eyes, “But you promised to take me to the park.”
Her wave of her tears felt heavier than the decision of building a home.
So I cannot imagine the immense weight of sorrow and guilt Jephthah felt when he flippantly vowed to the Lord to sacrifice whatever came out of his house after the battle if the Lord gave him success—and then his only child, his daughter, burst out of the house singing.
Grief is always heavy, but especially when we are the ones who cause the pain by our words or actions. Our sin sometimes falls back on us with torrential force. When this happens, the only way forward is through the mercy of God. Have you ever felt pain mixed with guilt? Repentance and grace lead us forward.
Psalm 51 is David’s crying out to God in his grief and confession of his sin. But his consequences remained even after the repentance. We can imagine that the weight of David’s sin or the death of Jephthah’s daughter weighed down the hearts of these men for the rest of their lives.
When it comes to living for the Lord, God’s Word invites us to approach His throne with confidence through faith in Jesus (John 14:13). But Scripture also gives us these stories as a warning: measure our words, whether in prayer or in action. May our yes be yes and our no be no. Anything more than this is evil (Matthew 5:34–37).
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38 thoughts on "Jephthah’s Vow and Sacrifice"
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If you dig deeper into the verses my research suggests he did not sacrifice (kill) his daughter, but she was sent to serve in the temple the rest of her life and never marry or have children. His sacrifice was no heir since she was his only child.
Amen!
If only Jephthah would have told God that he knew he was foolish, and asked God for a different solution for his oath! God is merciful, and I think He would have presented a different solution than her death. We can always approach our loving Father when we’ve made a mess of things!
Finishing post:
RHONDA J – Praying for your neck and back pain, for some level of lessening/relief! Keeping your friend in prayer, too.❤
DONNA WOLCOTT – You, too, are on my heart. Update? ❤
LYNNE FROM ALABAMA – Thankful for Tina’s good results with chemo so far and for her positive attitude! You and Jack remain in my prayers, too. ❤
SEARCHING – Miss you! ❤
In the law of Moses, God puts a great emphasis on the importance of fulfilling vows. But on the other hand he is emphatic that human sacrifice is an abomination to him. There is much confusion in the time of the Judges and I wonder if Jepthah’s understanding of God had become convoluted. His vow was rash and sinful, but to fulfill that vow would also have been a great sin against God. So I wonder if (like David in Psalm 51) his better course of action would have been to come to God with a broken and contrite heart repenting of his sinful vow/ breaking it, and then to sacrifice an animal instead.
@Rhonda J – praying for you back! My dad has always struggled with back problems so my heart goes out to you. Happy Friday! Praying for you all
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That is a good connection, ALLISON BENTLEY!
I am very confused about Jephthah’s daughter being offered as a sacrifice. Both my NIV and ESV study Bibles say “burnt offering” in verse 30. My King James Version does, as well. The notes in my study Bibles say that there is much speculation about this (I.e. sacrifice vs. serving the Lord in the tabernacle). I think I need to do a little more research! And, KRISTINE LOUGHMAN, I always wondered about that too. (Who would come out the front door but a human in his family? Ummm…)
And CEE GEE…. Thank you for pointing out that Jephthah’s ONLY child was his sacrifice. God sacrificed HIS only child too. Wow.
Remember, sweet sisters, that He gave us only ONE mouth (and two ears). Today’s readings need to remind us of that daily, huh? (Well, I need to be reminded daily! Which brings up a funny memory from another Bible study, where a widowed lady from our church said, “I never sin. I live by myself.” Good grief! It always made me chuckle. While she wasn’t using her ONE mouth, I’m sure her thoughts were sinful at times. I know mine can be!)
Father, we pray for Your forgiveness on any oaths that we have spoken out of carelessness and impulsiveness that cause harm to our children, family and even ourselves. Father, by the power of the redemption of the blood of our Lord Jesus, one sin or for all sin, we pray for the cancellation of any impulsive oaths that have been spoken over ourselves, over our children, over our future, careers, oaths, either by us, or by our parents/grandparents/ ancestors that we did not know, out of ignorance, let all those words be made of no effect, let them all be cancelled, wiped clean and forgiven. Let no evil consequences take place on our children, families, ourselves, or anything concerning us because the weight of these oaths. May the blood of our Lord Jesus wash us clean and purge any evil and impulsive oath that have been declared, knowingly or unknowingly, if any, and all. May you put the guard over our words every day and bring it to remembrance that words have the power of life and death- remind us of the story of Jepthah’s daughter who died in vain. By Your grace, may we not make promises in haste. In Jesus’ Mighty Name. Prayers lifted for our dear requests. LAUREN GW, happy 5th bday to your sweet son, prayers for him & your tender mama heart, and strong healing & deliverance for your husband. Happy weekend she’s. May God bless you, sustain you & families.
Have a blessed weekend ladies. Love to you all. Keeping your requests in prayer. ❤️
In my NLT study Bible there is a comment on 11:34-35. It says, “God does not want promises for the future, but obedience for today.” GAYLE CRAIK I also did the same as you. I told the Lord whatever it would take for my children to come to know Him. I was diagnosed with osteosarcoma shortly after that and have had many surgeries since. I am cancer free now, and I certainly became closer to the Lord, I know that God is in control. I doubt it is coincidence that happened. Sometimes I have to laugh because I said that to the Lord and He certainly heard my prayer. My children still don’t know the Lord but it has given me opportunity to share with them the hope I have in Jesus.
Thank you all for your prayers for my family. I can’t tell you how much it means to know that women I have never seen or met are praying. Continued prayers appreciated. My husband is now staying with a friend because he doesn’t want to continue to emotionally harm myself and our kids and he had a falling out with his mom. There are some treatments available, but he is resistant because his PTSD is so heightened that everything feels like a threat and he feels betrayed by the VA. Please pray God gives us wisdom about how to love him through this. Please pray that he is open to resources and the right resources are available to restore his mind. It’s heartbreaking to see him just as a shell of his former self. My son turns 5 today and is heartbroken that his dad isn’t here to celebrate
My biggest take away for today is – be careful what you vow to the Lord. We are reminded in Ecclesiastes 5:1-5 not to be quick with our mouths or utter anything hastily before God. Jephthah learned that lesson the hard way – may each of us learn from his mistake!
I too read in Enduring Word that most likely Jephthah’s daughter was set apart to do service at the tabernacle. 1.Because God did not condone child sacrifices and it was strictly forbidden and 2. Jephthah is mentioned in the Hebrews roll call of faith & it’s highly unlikely that his name would be listed if he had indeed sacrificed his daughter.
Praying for all your requests today…
@Lauren GW @Rhonda J @Lynn from Alabama @Adrienne @Lehua K @Teresa Donley @Kelly H @Foster Mama @Jaclyn @Mandi
And for Lewiston, ME – all of the families who lost loved ones, safety & protection for residents while this man is still out there, for the family of the shooter.
Never take a day for granted – hug those you love, tell them you love them, and live each day for the glory of God.
Blessings to all my SRT sisters – have a wonderful weekend!
GM She’s!
I, like others, was like wow, did it just end like that? But the comments are all helpful!
Your requests are being prayed for. If you could pray for my back- added on to it’s normal pain- my neck is still giving me trouble and now my hips. Sometimes it gets so frustrating that I can’t solve the problem, being a restorative exercise trainer my whole life, but I know God sees this frustration, and with you all added to my own prayers, I am very grateful.
Measure your words. This is a good reminder to really think before speaking. To make sure we can support what comes out of our mouths. Words are like an arrow. Once you release that bow, you can not get them back. They have such power to hurt people.
Something that caught my eye today v1 “he was the son of a prostitute” yet it was his daughters virginity that was mourned in the end. God is in the details- another famous prostitute in the lineage of Jesus (Rahab) changed the trajectory of the Israelites too!!! I love how God uses the least expected, most rejected (by society) and sometimes broken people to shine His light!! All your prayers lifted up today – Happy Friday Shes!!
TRACI GENDRON – Love your answers to the questions, and you touched on today’s topic! ❤
TERESA DONLEY – Praying for you today as you finally get to speak with the neurologist! Thankful for the peace God has granted and praying He will give you strength and wisdom as you discuss your case with the doctor. ❤
ADRIENNE – Happy for Leo and his family and continued prayers. Please keep us updated as you can. I pray in the same way you do for our SRT sisters including those we never see here in comments. ❤
Notes from Biblegateway resources:
From Encyclopedia of the Bible:
Jephthah emerges from these chs. as a man of faith (Heb 11:32), who overcame the disadvantages of his disreputable birth, was chosen by God and his people in their hour of need, led God’s people to victory over the Ammonite foe, and secured them against further threat from that quarter until the days of Saul. He was firm with himself, refusing to hold back his only child from God. As such he was long remembered in Israel (1 Sam 12:11) and in the early Christian communities (Heb 11:32). When judged by the standards of the Christian community of the 20th cent., Jephthah may appear crude, insensitive, and bloodthirsty. But the Spirit of God saw fit to use him (Judg 11:29), and the Word of God honors him.
And this from the NIV Cultural Background Study Bible-
Though Yahweh would have found such an act to be abhorrent, he often allows his people to suffer the consequences of their bad choices.
NKJV WIERSBE STUDY BIBLE gives a different slant (he leans away from actual burnt sacrifice of the daughter and explains with this remark:
“It’s difficult to believe that young Israelite women would establish a custom to lament the awful sacrifice of a human being, but we can well understand that they would commemorate the devotion and obedience of Jephthah’s daughter in helping her father fulfill his vow.”
My big takeaway from this reading –
(1) a person’s beginning doesn’t determine their usefulness to God.
(2) Be careful of your vows to the One True God; let His victory be sufficient.
Prayers for each as we finish another wonderful week of study; comments have been outstanding!
Karen, thank you for sharing what you found in the Enduring Word, makes it easier to accept and understand. Judges is not an easy read! Praying for each as I read requests, and for those in ME. I too, know a family in Lewiston and in a neighboring town. The fear of not knowing where he is must be so great. May you each find a beautiful peace this weekend.
This hits home! Last fall in praise I begged God to be closer to him & for my children to get close to God. I even said do whatever it takes, even illness. Last November I was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer. Well my relationship with God is so much closer & we saw so many blessings! I am cancer free as of May! God is always good!
This chapter dives deep into Jephthah’s leadership, his vow to the Lord during a crucial conflict with the Ammonites, and the tragic fulfillment of his oath, leaving readers to ponder the implications of faith, promises, and their consequent outcomes.
AIMEE I pray the s as me verse every day! “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”
Psalms 19:14 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/psa.19.14.NIV
I have gotten myself in trouble so many times with my words! BUT God, has used those times to teach me humility, repentance, and His grace!
I’m praying for everyone’s requests! So many of you have deep hurts. I’m praying God will surround you with His love and peace!
I have to agree that Jephthah’s daughter was sent to live out her life in a Tabernacle—the first Nun? I just can’t imagine God allowing her to be slain and offered up as a sacrifice. That’s not our God.
My study Bible also puts forward the possibility that his daughter was dedicated to a life of virginity as opposed to given as a human sacrifice.
My son has his first appointment this afternoon with a Christian counselor who comes very highly recommended. He is pretty expensive but I believe God has really pointed us to this being a worthwhile investment. Prayers greatly appreciated!
I had a hard time sleeping last night. Must’ve been up for two hours and then it was time to get up. During that time I prayed for my friend, Gretchen, my friend, Michelle‘s dad, who is going through chemo and treatment for cancer, and, of course, for my children whom I love very much. My children were on my heart as I started my devotions this morning. And then I read this in judges. I’m trying to understand it. I actually was heartbroken and taken by it. I think I need to do more research on this and ask questions.
That’s all for today. I’ve got a long morning ahead of me. Lots to catch up on and I really want to do a good job. Praying for all of you sweet she’s.
Adrienne, I love your sweet prayer for all the women here and I have a vision sometimes of the Lord putting a blanket of protection over all of us. Added so many new requests to my prayer list, LAUREN GW, BETH GEBHARD, ALYSSA MURDOCK MARTINEZ and updated requests of Theresa Donley, Foster Mama and others. Thank you Lord for bringing us together here in this study and thank you dear Lord for being with us in our struggles and never leaving us alone thru all peaks and valleys no matter how big or how small.
Thanks Karen Elizabeth for sharing that commentary’s insight. It’s much easier to swallow than the thought of human sacrifice, & to understand why God didn’t intervene.
Our words matter so so much and yet most of us are compelled to speak thousands of them a day! Throughout my life I have done far more harm with my words than anything else. Thank you lord for your continued patience with me.
Praying for you, Foster Mama! I have a few friends that have either been foster parents or have done respite care and I know it’s such a hard and heartbreaking situation at times. <3
Please be praying for me and my future — that I would stand on God's promises and what He has told/revealed to me and I wouldn't be distracted with what it looks like in the natural or believe the lies of the enemy or even myself. I love how we are challenged and encouraged to come to His throne of grace — and I know I need to do that and take a hold of my future with boldness.
Good morning my sisters, If there is any prayer requests from the past week or two, please repeat them today (even if one phrase e.g. ALEIDA – Victor job, relationship, wellbeing)…I would be honoured to pray over the weekend.
MY REQUEST – Lord willing, we have the opportunity to see the two babies who’s “not ideally managed” adoption had them leave our home 3 years ago (which has caused completely unnecessary anguish on both sides, more than the typical transition, even 3 years later)– Lord willing we see them tomorrow and it is a very delicate situation. Please pray that God gives both hubby and I WISDOM, discernment and FAVOUR and uses tomorrow to bring / begin much-needed healing and understanding. Please, please pray. And that we would all feel HELD BY JESUS. (Please pray I also have wisdom re: whether to reach out for advice today.)
Sending all of you so much love and prayer. My children attend The Covenant School where the shooting took place in March, and our lives will never be the same.
Father God let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to You. In Jesus name Amen
Couple things stand out to me after reading the commentary from The Enduring Word. First, interesting that Jephthah is listed in Hebrews 11 as one of the heroes of faith. Second, the Hebrew word translated as sacrifice likely meant consecrate to the Lord in the case of a human. She was likely sent to serve in the tabernacle, never to marry. Which makes sense that she would mourn or virginity. The women who served in the tabernacle were usually older women who were widows. If he actually killed her, it would have been very outside God’s law/desire as human sacrifice is forbidden in mosaic law. Either way, Jephthah made a rash vow. God was already with him. I found it interesting the commentary noted that a vow like that is trying to bribe God to be on our side when we should be seeking to be on God’s side.
Praying for the people of Maine. For those who have lost loved ones and those living in fear.
Something that stood out to me around Jephthah’s vow was the Lord’s silence. Jephthah vowed to sacrifice whatever came out of his house and the Lord did not respond. He cried out when his daughter came to him but once again the Lord was silent. I think this emphasizes how Jephthah was acting outside of God’s instruction. The Lord had already provided him victory and nothing more was needed yet he felt compelled to try and further secure what was already his and it ended up costing him everything. A powerful reminder for me today!
The sorrow is heavy here in Maine. Join with me in praying for a safe resolution to the manhunt, and for the victims and families of the senseless shooting in Lewiston Wednesday night. My parents live close to where the suspect’s car was found; their community has been on a stay-at-home order.
Im confused by this story. God wasn’t into human sacrifice- that’s one of the things that made our God different from all the other gods being worships in the surrounding cultures. So making that oath to sacrifice whatever walked out the door… even if it wasn’t his daughter, it was probably going to be a human, right?
Still, an excellent reminder to watch those words. Even if you apologize, the damage is still done.
I’m so happy to be back with all of you. “Sometimes our words become our weights.” Boy do I know this to be true! Joyce Meyer always says that she was a great Christian until everyone in her house got home. Lol. I get it! Lord let me be slow to speak, slow to anger, and quick to listen!
I have one question: why didn’t God give Jephthah the pass? He was fighting for God after all? Or why didn’t Jephthah intercede like Abraham did with Lot? Just wondering. Have a blessed day ladies!
Scholars debate over whether his daughter was killed or was given to serve the Lord (like Samuel was). Regardless from HRT:”what makes this story so disheartening is that even before uttering a single word of his vow, the Lord had already given the man everything he needed, for the Spirit had already come to him (Judges 11:29).”
THERESA DONLEY-praying your appt goes well and the Lord continues to bless you with His peace.
LYNN FROM AL -good news about Gina. May the Lord sustain her as the cancer battle rages.
RHONDA J – praying for Tracy. Also for the 2 from your jail ministry. I would hope the are some “halfway house” programs that they can plug into to help with the transition.
LAUREN GW – continued prayers for you and your family in this struggle. Heartbreaking what you are dealing with after faithfully serving our country.