Sunday 22nd June Judges 11.29-40

Qn. 7

“Then whatever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites shall be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering” (31): Making a vow in Jewish religion was something to be taken seriously, and if a person did not honor his vow, he would be under terrible judgment. When you feel like vowing, vow something that will be possible to accomplish. And at the end of two months, she returned to her father, who did with her according to the vow that he had made. She had never known a man, and it became a custom in Israel (39): Bible commentators don’t say whether Jephthah offered her daughter for a burnt offering, but what this passage contains has been clarified that Jephthah gave his daughter in the temple to serve God all her lifetime. It was unusual for females to be offered to serve God in the temple (Ex. 38.8; 1 Sam. 2.22), given that God was against his people passing their children through fire like other gods used to (2 Kings 17.17). What was challenging to Jephuthah and his daughter wasn’t about being offered for an offering, but the real issue was that she had not yet been married, and having been unique meant putting an end to Jephthah’s family. Consider: God chooses who he wishes in his timing.