Judges 11 36

Judges 11:36 kjv

And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon.

Judges 11:36 nkjv

So she said to him, "My father, if you have given your word to the LORD, do to me according to what has gone out of your mouth, because the LORD has avenged you of your enemies, the people of Ammon."

Judges 11:36 niv

"My father," she replied, "you have given your word to the LORD. Do to me just as you promised, now that the LORD has avenged you of your enemies, the Ammonites.

Judges 11:36 esv

And she said to him, "My father, you have opened your mouth to the LORD; do to me according to what has gone out of your mouth, now that the LORD has avenged you on your enemies, on the Ammonites."

Judges 11:36 nlt

And she said, "Father, if you have made a vow to the LORD, you must do to me what you have vowed, for the LORD has given you a great victory over your enemies, the Ammonites.

Judges 11 verses

Judges 11 36 Meaning

Judges 11:36 presents the heartbreaking response of Jephthah's daughter to her father's rash vow. Recognizing the gravity of his promise made to the LORD, she declares her willingness to submit to the consequences, requesting that he fulfills his word. Her submission is presented as an act of faith and acknowledgment that the LORD had indeed granted her father victory over the Ammonites, thereby validating, from their perspective, the conditions under which the vow was made.

Judges 11 36 Context

Judges chapter 11 tells the story of Jephthah, an outcast, "the son of a prostitute," called upon by the elders of Gilead to lead them against the Ammonites. Before battle, Jephthah makes a vow to the LORD, promising that if He grants him victory, "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 as a burnt offering" (Judg 11:31). Upon his victorious return, his only daughter, a virgin, comes out to greet him. This verse, Judges 11:36, captures her noble and self-sacrificial response to his devastated realization. The historical context is a chaotic period in Israel, after the conquest and before the monarchy, where "everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judg 17:6, 21:25), highlighting a decline in moral and religious understanding, often leading to tragic consequences for rash actions not fully aligned with God's perfect law. The story reveals the severe implications of oaths in a culture that held promises to be sacred and binding, alongside the deep societal value placed on progeny.

Judges 11 36 Word analysis

• And she said to him, “My father,
  • And she said: Indicates direct speech, emphasizing her agency and voice in a dire situation.
  • to him: To Jephthah, her father.
  • My father (Heb. אָבִי 'avi): A tender, respectful, and intimate address. It shows her filial devotion and acknowledges his authority, despite the devastating news. It also underscores the tragedy as it is a familial bond broken by the vow.
• you have opened your mouth to the LORD;
  • opened your mouth (Heb. פָּצִ֥יתָ פִּ֖יךָ - patzita pîkhā): This Hebrew phrase signifies making a solemn, binding verbal declaration or oath, particularly a vow. It conveys the deliberate and weighty nature of his utterance before God, not a casual remark. Such a statement was considered irrevocably binding in ancient Near Eastern culture and specifically within Mosaic Law.
  • to the LORD: Emphasizes that the vow was not just a personal promise but a sacred commitment directed to Yahweh, God of Israel, making it extremely serious and seemingly inviolable from Jephthah's and his daughter's perspectives. It implies divine witness and potential divine retribution if unfulfilled (Deut 23:21).
• do to me according to what has gone out from your mouth,
  • do to me: Her request for him to proceed. It signifies her immediate, painful acceptance of the vow's implications for her.
  • according to what has gone out from your mouth: Reiterates the binding nature of the vow, as an unalterable pronouncement. This reflects an understanding of the sanctity of oaths and a resignation to its terms. It is a demand for her father's integrity in keeping his word before God.
• since the LORD has avenged you on your enemies, the Ammonites.”
  • since (Heb. אַחֲרֵ֡י 'acharei - 'after that'/'because'): This connective demonstrates her understanding that Jephthah's vow was conditional upon divine victory. She recognizes that the Lord's deliverance (vengeance) for her father against the Ammonites signifies that God has fulfilled His part, therefore obligating Jephthah to fulfill his. It shows her religious understanding and perception of divine justice within their cultural framework.
  • the LORD has avenged you: Credits the victory directly to God's action, not merely Jephthah's military prowess. "Avenged" (Heb. וַיִּתֵּ֤ן vayitten - 'He has given' or 'has delivered into your hand' as often used for victory) reinforces that this was a divine act of retribution against Israel's enemies, thereby confirming the context for Jephthah's vow. This aspect suggests her compliance stems not only from loyalty to her father but also from respect for God's proven faithfulness and her perception of divine expectation concerning the vow.
  • your enemies, the Ammonites: The specific targets of God's vengeance, clearly linking the victory directly to the terms of Jephthah's vow.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "My father, you have opened your mouth to the LORD": This powerful opening highlights the unalterable nature of Jephthah's vow and his daughter's profound understanding of its spiritual weight. It frames her impending fate not as an arbitrary act, but as a consequence of a divine covenant.
• "do to me according to what has gone out from your mouth": This phrase shows her tragic embrace of fate. It indicates that she considers the vow binding and final. Her acceptance ensures Jephthah's integrity as a leader, but at an unbearable personal cost.
• "since the LORD has avenged you on your enemies, the Ammonites": This segment provides the rationale for her compliance. It acknowledges God's part in the bargain and subtly implies that her sacrifice is the necessary completion of this divinely assisted victory. Her religious understanding, however imperfect, demands that the vow be upheld because God delivered on His promise. This emphasizes the solemnity and perceived unbreakable nature of a vow made directly to the LORD in that era.

Judges 11 36 Bonus section

The nature of the "burnt offering" in Jephthah's vow (Judg 11:31) has been intensely debated by scholars. Some argue it was a literal human sacrifice, abhorrent but tragically carried out in an era when "everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judg 21:25), highlighting Israel's deviation from God's Law forbidding child sacrifice (Lev 18:21; Deut 12:31). Others propose it was a dedication to perpetual virginity or lifelong service, possibly like the Nazarite vow, making her a "burnt offering" metaphorically by extinguishing her family line and prospects of marriage and motherhood. However, the strong wording "offer it up as a burnt offering," typically reserved for animal sacrifices or total destruction (cherem), alongside her specific lament for her virginity and not her life itself, leans the interpretation more towards literal sacrifice. Her lamenting her virginity can be understood not as her fate, but rather as her grieving over never being able to bear children to continue her father's name, a significant loss in Israelite culture, especially given his status as a unique figure without other acknowledged offspring, amplifying the tragedy. This unique narrative also suggests a warning against syncretistic practices or rash decisions influenced by surrounding pagan cultures that did practice child sacrifice, a stark contrast to Israel's true God who demands purity and mercy.

Judges 11 36 Commentary

Judges 11:36 stands as one of the Bible's most poignant and harrowing expressions of duty, obedience, and tragic consequences of a rash vow. Jephthah’s daughter embodies a remarkable spirit of self-sacrifice, understanding that her father’s solemn oath to the LORD, made in expectation of divine deliverance, now requires a terrifying fulfillment because the LORD had indeed granted victory. Her declaration "do to me according to what has gone out from your mouth" reflects a profound respect for the sanctity of a divine oath in her culture, prioritizing her father's integrity and his spiritual obligation above her own life. This act of acceptance highlights the perilous nature of unadvised vows and the extreme commitment required of individuals to God's name, even when God himself prohibits such actions as child sacrifice. It serves as a stark reminder of a period marked by moral ambiguity and illustrates the dangers when people act by their own understanding rather than according to the clear laws and character of God. The story implicitly calls the reader to discern God's will accurately and avoid rash commitments that contradict divine principles, reinforcing the supreme value of human life and the clarity of God’s abhorrence of child sacrifice as detailed in the Law (e.g., Deut 12:31).