Wednesday, August 18, 2021

Jephthah's Daughter

 "The Spirit of YAHWEH came upon Jephthah.  He went through Gilead and Manasseh, passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and then entered the territory of the Ammonites.

Jephthah made a vow to YAHWEH: 'If YOU make me victorious, I shall sacrifice to YOU whoever first comes out of my house to meet me when I return from battle.  He shall be for YAHWEH and I shall offer him up through the fire.'

Jephthah crossed the territory of the Ammonites to fight against them, and YAHWEH gave him victory.  He pursued them from the city of Aroer to the entrance of Minnith and Abel Keramim, seizing twenty towns. So he defeated the Ammonites.

When Jephthah returned home to Mizpah, his daughter came out to meet him.  She was so happy to see her father that she danced to the sound of her tambourine.  She was an only child; besides her he had no other daughter or son.

When Jephthah saw her, he tore his clothes and cried out, 'My daughter, you have shattered me; you have brought me misfortune.  For I have made a foolish vow to YAHWEH, and now I cannot take it back.'  She answered him, 'Father, even if you have made such a foolish vow, you have to do to me just as you promised, for YAHWEH has avenged you and crushed your enemies.  I only beg of you to give me two months to live with my companions in the mountains.  There I shall lament because I will never marry.'  Jephthah said to her, 'Go then.'  And he sent her away for two months.  She and her companions went to the mountains and wept because she would never marry.

At the end of two months, she returned to her father and he fulfilled the vow he had made.  The young girl had never known a man.  From this comes the Israelite custom..." - Judges 11:29-39 

(Scripture relates Jephthah's vow without commentary.  It is considered as the lamentation error of a hero.)

On-Site

No comments:

Post a Comment