Judges 11 35

Judges 11:35 kjv

And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back.

Judges 11:35 nkjv

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."

Judges 11:35 niv

When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, "Oh no, my daughter! You have brought me down and I am devastated. I have made a vow to the LORD that I cannot break."

Judges 11:35 esv

And as soon as he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, "Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you have become the cause of great trouble to me. For I have opened my mouth to the LORD, and I cannot take back my vow."

Judges 11:35 nlt

When he saw her, he tore his clothes in anguish. "Oh, my daughter!" he cried out. "You have completely destroyed me! You've brought disaster on me! For I have made a vow to the LORD, and I cannot take it back."

Judges 11 verses

Judges 11 35 Meaning

Judges 11:35 profoundly illustrates Jephthah’s immense despair and horror upon realizing the personal and devastating consequence of his rash vow. Having pledged to sacrifice whatever first came out of his house to meet him after victory, his own daughter, his only child, appeared. This verse captures his immediate reaction: a public display of intense grief through tearing his clothes, followed by a heartbroken exclamation acknowledging her unintended role in his profound sorrow, and finally, his agonizing admission that he cannot retract the solemn oath he made to the Lord.

Judges 11 35 Context

Judges chapter 11 narrates the story of Jephthah, a Gileadite rejected by his half-brothers but later called upon by the elders to lead Israel against the Ammonites. He agrees, but prior to battle, he makes a vow to the Lord: "Whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the Ammonites, shall surely be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering" (Judg 11:31). This verse, Judges 11:35, captures the moment of horrifying realization when Jephthah returns victorious, and his only child, his virgin daughter, emerges first to greet him. The historical backdrop is the chaotic period of the Judges in Israel, marked by moral decay, social disintegration, and a frequent cycle of idolatry, foreign oppression, and temporary deliverance by "judges." This era often highlights the consequences of human folly, spiritual decline, and the Israelites' assimilation of pagan practices, such as child sacrifice, which were strictly forbidden by God.

Judges 11 35 Word analysis

• And it came to pass, when he saw her,: A common biblical transition indicating an immediate and significant event. The direct confrontation with the reality of his vow through seeing his daughter.
• that he tore his clothes,:
  • Hebrew: קָרַע בְּגָדָיו (qara' begadaw)
  • Meaning: Literally, "he ripped his garments." This was a deeply symbolic and physical act of profound distress, grief, horror, despair, or indignation in the ancient Near East and among Israelites. It signified overwhelming sorrow and often irreparable calamity.
• and said, 'Alas, my daughter!:
  • Hebrew (Alas): אֲהָהּ (ah-hah)
  • Meaning: An interjection of intense lamentation, anguish, or grief, much like "Woe!" or "Oh, no!" The immediate mention of "my daughter" personalizes the tragedy, highlighting that his vow's object is his beloved and only child.
• You have brought me very low,:
  • Hebrew: הַכְרַעַתְּ אוֹתִי מְאֹד (hakhra'at oti me'od)
  • Meaning: Literally, "you have bowed me down exceedingly" or "made me stoop greatly." This signifies crushing humiliation, deep inner brokenness, and overwhelming sorrow that literally saps one's strength and uprightness. She, by her mere presence as the vow's object, caused his spiritual and emotional collapse.
• and you are among those who trouble me;:
  • Hebrew: וְאַתְּ הָיִית בְּעֹכְרָי (ve'at hayit b'okray)
  • Meaning: Literally, "and you have come to be among my troublers/afflicters." The word עֹכְרָי (okray, plural of aker) stems from the root עָכַר (akar), meaning "to trouble, disturb, stir up, afflict." It is used notably in Josh 7:25 when Joshua tells Achan, "You have troubled us." Jephthah isn't accusing his daughter of deliberately tormenting him, but rather she, through no fault of her own, has become the direct instrument through which the immense pain and catastrophic consequences of his own vow are now actualized, making her a "source of trouble" or "calamity" to him.
• for I have opened my mouth to the Lord,:
  • Hebrew: כִּי פָּצִיתִי אֶת פִּי אֶל יְהוָה (ki patziti et pi el YHWH)
  • Meaning: "Because I have sworn/uttered a vow before YHWH." This emphasizes the solemn and public nature of the oath. An open mouth before God signifies a declaration that holds immense weight and is considered binding.
• and I cannot take it back.
  • Hebrew: וְלֹא אוּכַל לְהָשִׁיב (ve'lo ukhal l'hashiv)
  • Meaning: "And I am not able to retrieve it/reverse it/bring it back." This underscores the irreversibility of a solemn vow made to the Lord in the Israelite cultural context. It expresses his feeling of being trapped by his own words, even to his own devastating ruin.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "he tore his clothes, and said, 'Alas, my daughter!'": This sequence immediately communicates Jephthah's intense, public, and utterly devastating shock and grief upon realizing the tragic object of his vow. The physical act coupled with the anguished cry paints a vivid picture of despair.
• "You have brought me very low, and you are among those who trouble me": These phrases encapsulate Jephthah's personal brokenness and the source of his anguish. It is an outpouring of deep emotional pain, where his own beloved daughter, innocently welcoming him, becomes the catalyst for his ultimate despair due to his own earlier commitment. It highlights the profound suffering of one ensnared by their own rash actions.
• "for I have opened my mouth to the Lord, and I cannot take it back.": This is Jephthah's immediate explanation and justification for his reaction, articulating the unchangeable, binding nature of his vow. It reveals his understanding that his solemn word before God, despite its unforeseen and tragic outcome, must stand. This underscores the theological seriousness with which oaths and vows to God were viewed in ancient Israel, even when leading to unthinkable consequences.

Judges 11 35 Bonus section

• The double bind Jephthah found himself in is a profound theological tension in the Judges narrative. God is holy and vows are serious, yet God utterly forbids child sacrifice. This situation prompts contemplation on whether some vows are intrinsically unlawful or sinful and thus should never be fulfilled in a way that violates God's higher moral law.
• The incident starkly illustrates the moral and spiritual chaos of the Judges period, where individuals, even deliverers chosen by God, made terrible errors in judgment or integrated pagan practices due to a lack of deep knowledge of the Law of the Lord. Jephthah's actions highlight a failure to fully comprehend God's commands and character regarding life and sacrifice.
• While this verse focuses on Jephthah's anguish, the daughter's submissive and brave response in the subsequent verses (Judges 11:36-39) provides a contrasting and poignant demonstration of filial piety and adherence to an oath made to the Lord, even unto death or perpetual celibacy.
• The ambiguity regarding the ultimate fate of Jephthah's daughter (was she literally sacrificed or dedicated to perpetual virginity in temple service?) arises from the Hebrew phrase "offer it up as a burnt offering" which usually implies death by fire. However, the subsequent description of her "bewailing her virginity" and the annual lamentations for "the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite" lead some scholars to propose lifelong dedication. Nevertheless, Jephthah's tearing of clothes and overwhelming anguish in verse 35 strongly suggests he anticipated a literal sacrifice, which aligns with the "burnt offering" terminology. This deep sorrow is arguably more consistent with an expectation of death than mere celibacy, though lifelong celibacy was also a significant burden in a society centered on lineage.

Judges 11 35 Commentary

Judges 11:35 is the apex of Jephthah's personal tragedy, revealing the devastating consequences of a rash vow made in a time of spiritual decline. His actions – tearing his clothes and his cries of "Alas, my daughter!" – convey overwhelming grief and a deep sense of a calamitous and irreversible mistake. The phrase "you have brought me very low" speaks to the crushing humiliation and sorrow that has physically and emotionally broken him. His lament, "you are among those who trouble me," underscores that his daughter, while innocent, is the vehicle through which the terrible burden of his vow now afflicts him.

The core of his despair lies in the binding nature of his vow: "I have opened my mouth to the Lord, and I cannot take it back." In ancient Israel, vows to God were held with extreme solemnity. Once pronounced, especially "to the Lord," they were considered inviolable, regardless of the painful outcome. While some ancient Near Eastern cultures permitted child sacrifice, the Mosaic Law strictly prohibited it as an abomination to Yahweh (Lev 18:21; Deut 12:31). This verse thus places Jephthah in an agonizing dilemma: fulfilling a literal interpretation of his vow (offering his daughter as a burnt offering, a horrifying act condemned by God) or breaking a vow made to the Lord (a serious sin itself, yet God explicitly hates child sacrifice more). The text's brevity does not explain how Jephthah reconciled this. However, the subsequent verses where the daughter requests time to bewail her virginity, followed by her death/dedication (depending on interpretation), point to a final act that fulfills Jephthah's understanding of the vow, even at immense personal cost and likely spiritual compromise. The verse ultimately highlights human fallibility and the profound weight of a divine oath in a world that often failed to grasp God's character and commands fully.