Judges 11 37

Judges 11:37 kjv

And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows.

Judges 11:37 nkjv

Then she said to her father, "Let this thing be done for me: let me alone for two months, that I may go and wander on the mountains and bewail my virginity, my friends and I."

Judges 11:37 niv

But grant me this one request," she said. "Give me two months to roam the hills and weep with my friends, because I will never marry."

Judges 11:37 esv

So she said to her father, "Let this thing be done for me: leave me alone two months, that I may go up and down on the mountains and weep for my virginity, I and my companions."

Judges 11:37 nlt

But first let me do this one thing: Let me go up and roam in the hills and weep with my friends for two months, because I will die a virgin."

Judges 11 verses

Judges 11 37 Meaning

Judges 11:37 presents the poignant request of Jephthah's daughter to her father after he revealed his tragic vow. She asks for a two-month period of solitude with her female companions. During this time, she intends to go into the mountains to weep specifically for her perpetual virginity, acknowledging that she will never marry, bear children, and thus her father's direct lineage will end through her. Her mourning is not for the loss of her physical life, but for the societal and personal value of motherhood and the continuation of her family line, a profound sacrifice in ancient Israelite culture.

Judges 11 37 Context

Judges chapter 11 narrates the story of Jephthah, a Gileadite chieftain, rejected by his brothers, who is called back to lead Israel against the Ammonites. Before battle, in a misguided attempt to secure victory or out of desperate faith, Jephthah makes a rash vow to the Lord: "Whatever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites shall be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering" (Judg 11:31). After a decisive victory, his only child, a daughter, is the first to greet him. Overcome with grief, Jephthah declares his vow is sealed. This verse (11:37) is her remarkable, composed response to this revelation, where she does not dispute the vow's fulfillment but specifies how she will mourn the profound implications for her life. This entire narrative unfolds within the turbulent period of the Judges, characterized by spiritual decline where "everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Jdg 17:6; 21:25), highlighting the dire consequences of uninformed or presumptuous devotion outside God's prescribed ways.

Judges 11 37 Word analysis

• And she said to her father (וַתֹּאמֶר לְאָבִיהָ – vat·to·mer lə·’ā·ḇî·hā): This marks her composed and accepting response. The verb אמר (’āmar) often indicates formal or weighty speech, not a frantic cry, highlighting her extraordinary resolve and dignity in facing her fate.
• Let this thing be done for me (יֵעָשֶׂה־לִּי הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה – yē·‘ā·śeh-llî had·dā·ḇār haz·zeh): The phrase uses דָּבָר (dābār), which signifies a word, matter, thing, or affair. It implies a specific, perhaps legal, matter or request that requires action. It’s not just an emotional outburst but a formulated proposal, demonstrating her active participation in her own fate.
• Let me alone for two months (הֶרְפֵּה מִמֶּנִּי חָדְשַׁיִם – her·pê mim·men·nî ḥāḏ·šā·yim): The verb רָפָה (rāpāh), meaning "to loosen, let go, relax," indicates a request for release or separation for a specific purpose. "Two months" (חָדְשַׁיִם - ḥāḏšāyim) is a definite, bounded period for intense, private mourning, suggestive of a rite of passage. This is a time for preparation and coming to terms with her new, permanent status.
• That I may go up and down on the mountains (וְאֵלְכָה עַל־הֶהָרִים – wə·’êl·ḵāh ‘al-hehā·rîm): The verb הָלַךְ (hālak), meaning "to go, walk," here combined with "up and down" (implied movement), suggests wandering or traversing, not just static presence. "On the mountains" (הֶהָרִים - hehārîm) indicates solitary or wild places, often associated with spiritual retreats, encounters, or intense personal experience. Here, it is a deliberate choice of location for private and unrestricted lamentation, away from the domestic sphere.
• And weep for my virginity (וְאֶבְכֶּה עַל־בְּתוּלַי – wə·’eḇ·keh ‘al-bə·ṯū·lay): The verb בָּכָה (bāḵah) signifies deep, mournful crying, a genuine expression of sorrow. The crucial word is בְּתוּלַי (bəṯūlay), meaning "my virginity." This clarifies the nature of the "sacrifice" for Jephthah's daughter. Her lament is not for impending physical death, which the text never states, but for the profound loss of her ability to marry, bear children, and thus contribute to the continuation of her family line. In ancient Israelite society, progeny was a foundational value, essential for perpetuating one’s name and lineage. This highlights the cost of the vow: perpetual celibacy and childlessness, which was a deeply significant, lifelong 'death' to the expected female role and the cessation of her father's direct house. This is a living sacrifice of her procreative capacity and social standing.
• I and my companions (אֲנִי וְרֵעוֹתַי – ’ănî wə·rê·‘ōw·ṯay): The presence of "companions" (רֵעוֹת - rê‘ōt, female friends or associates) suggests a ritualistic, communal aspect to her private mourning. It was common for women to support each other during rites of passage or lamentations, particularly regarding marriage or family matters. This companionship would have provided a cultural space for grieving this unique form of loss.

Judges 11 37 Bonus section

The consistent textual emphasis on "virginity" (betulim) in this verse and the subsequent statement in Judges 11:39 ("she knew no man") serves as the primary textual evidence that Jephthah’s daughter was dedicated to lifelong celibacy rather than a literal burnt offering. While shocking to a modern reader, a vow of lifelong devotion was recognized, even if uncommon for daughters, and paralleled concepts like a Nazarite vow (Num 6) or specific dedications to the Tabernacle/Temple (though female dedication in the service of the temple might involve performing various tasks). The tragedy lies not in a morally abhorrent human sacrifice, which God utterly condemns (Jer 19:5), but in a tragic personal sacrifice, a self-imposed denial of an expected life course, directly resulting from her father's misguided vow. Her strength of character in fulfilling the vow stands in stark contrast to Jephthah's folly in making it, and it underscores the critical lesson that vows, while important, must be made with wisdom and understanding of God's perfect will. This episode acts as a cautionary tale of a time when "everyone did what was right in his own eyes," demonstrating the spiritual chaos and human suffering that arise from a lack of true adherence to God's revealed Law.

Judges 11 37 Commentary

Judges 11:37 profoundly reveals the true nature of Jephthah’s vow and his daughter’s submission. Her request to "weep for my virginity" (Hebrew: betulim) confirms that her ultimate fate was not literal execution, but rather dedication to perpetual virginity, precluding marriage and motherhood. This was a grave "living sacrifice" (Rom 12:1) in a society that greatly valued lineage and children as a divine blessing and means of securing family heritage (Ps 127:3). Her choice of "mountains" and "companions" for two months indicates a structured, solemn ritual of grieving for a future forever lost—the ability to fulfill the central female roles of wife and mother, and to ensure her father's name continued. Her dignity and acceptance, though tragic, underscore the devastating consequences of Jephthah's rash promise made without consultation of God’s clear law forbidding human sacrifice (Lev 18:21; Deut 12:31). This moment exemplifies the darkness of the Judges era, where even sincere piety, untethered from divine instruction, could lead to unforeseen and lamentable outcomes.