Jephthahs Vow Story - Bible

Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior. His father was Gilead. His mother was a prostitute. Gilead's wife also bore him sons. When these sons grew up, they drove Jephthah away. 'You are not going to get any inheritance in our family,' they said. 'You are the son of another woman.' So Jephthah fled from his brothers. He settled in the land of Tob. A gang of scoundrels gathered around him. They followed him.

Some time later, when the Ammonites were fighting against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to bring Jephthah back from the land of Tob. 'Come,' they said, 'be our commander. We will fight the Ammonites.'

Jephthah said to them, 'Didn't you hate me and drive me from my father's house? Why do you come to me now, when you're in trouble?'

The elders of Gilead said to him, 'We are turning to you now. Come with us to fight the Ammonites. You will be head over all of us who live in Gilead.'

Jephthah answered, 'Suppose you take me back to fight the Ammonites and the Lord gives them to me. Will I really be your head?'

The elders of Gilead replied, 'The Lord is our witness. We will certainly do as you say.' So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead. The people made him head and commander over them. And he repeated all his words before the Lord in Mizpah.

Then Jephthah sent messengers to the Ammonite king. He asked, 'What do you have against me? Why have you attacked my country?'

The king of the Ammonites answered Jephthah's messengers, 'When Israel came up out of Egypt, they took away my land. They took it from the Arnon to the Jabbok, all the way to the Jordan. Now give it back peaceably.'

Jephthah sent back messengers to the Ammonite king. They said, 'This is what Jephthah says: Israel did not take the land of Moab or the land of the Ammonites. When Israel came up out of Egypt, they went through the wilderness to the Red Sea. On reaching Kadesh, Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom. They said, 'Let us pass through your country.' But the king of Edom would not listen. They sent also to the king of Moab. He also refused. So Israel stayed at Kadesh.'

Jephthah continued, 'Next they traveled through the wilderness. They skirted the lands of Edom and Moab. They passed along the eastern side of the country of Moab. They camped on the other side of the Arnon. They did not enter the territory of Moab. The Arnon was their border. Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites. Sihon ruled in Heshbon. Israel said to him, 'Let us pass through your country to our own place.' Sihon did not trust Israel to pass through his territory. He mustered all his troops and camped at Jahaz. He fought with Israel. Then the Lord, the God of Israel, gave Sihon and his whole army into Israel's hands. They defeated them. Israel took over all the land of the Amorites who lived in that country. They captured all of it from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the desert to the Jordan.

Now since the Lord, the God of Israel, has driven the Amorites out before his people Israel, what right have you to take it over? Will you not take what your god Chemosh gives you? We will take over what the Lord our God has given us. Are you any better than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever quarrel with Israel or fight with them? For three hundred years Israel occupied Heshbon, Aroer, the surrounding settlements, and all the towns along the Arnon. Why didn't you retake them during that time? I have not wronged you. But you are doing me wrong by waging war against me. Let the Lord, the Judge, decide the dispute this day between the Israelites and the Ammonites.'

The king of Ammon ignored the message Jephthah sent him.

Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jephthah. He crossed Gilead and Manasseh. He passed through Mizpah of Gilead. From there he advanced against the Ammonites. Jephthah made a vow to the Lord. He said, 'If you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord's. I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.'

Then Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites. The Lord gave them into his hands. He devastated twenty towns from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith. He defeated them as far as Abel Keramim. Thus Israel subdued Ammon.

When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter! She was dancing to the sound of timbrels. She was an only child. He had no son or daughter besides her. When he saw her, he tore his clothes. He cried, 'Oh no, my daughter! You have brought me down. You are the source of my misery. I have made a vow to the Lord. I cannot break it.'

'My father,' she replied, 'you have given your word to the Lord. Do to me just as you promised. The Lord has avenged you of your enemies, the Ammonites.' Then she added, 'But grant me this one request. Give me two months to roam the hills and weep with my friends. Let me weep because I will never marry.'

'You may go,' he said. So he let her go for two months. She and her friends went into the hills and wept because she would never marry. After the two months, she returned to her father. He did to her as he had vowed. She was a virgin.

From this comes the Israelite tradition that each year the young women of Israel go out for four days to commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.

Jephthah made a foolish vow. He promised to sacrifice whatever came out of his house first. He probably thought it would be an animal. But it was his own daughter who came out to meet him. This story shows us that we should be very careful about the promises we make. We should think before we speak. It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not keep it. God wants us to keep our promises. But he also wants us to be wise about what we promise.

The Jephthahs Vow story teaches caution and faith. It shows that vows to God carry responsibility. This story highlights devotion and integrity.