Judges 11 39

Judges 11:39 kjv

And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel,

Judges 11:39 nkjv

And it was so at the end of two months that she returned to her father, and he carried out his vow with her which he had vowed. She knew no man. And it became a custom in Israel

Judges 11:39 niv

After the two months, she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed. And she was a virgin. From this comes the Israelite tradition

Judges 11:39 esv

And at the end of two months, she returned to her father, who did with her according to his vow that he had made. She had never known a man, and it became a custom in Israel

Judges 11:39 nlt

When she returned home, her father kept the vow he had made, and she died a virgin. So it has become a custom in Israel

Judges 11 verses

Judges 11 39 Meaning

Judges 11:39 describes the tragic fulfillment of Jephthah's vow. After two months, his daughter returned, and Jephthah "did with her according to his vow." The verse clarifies that she had remained a virgin, stating "she knew no man." This loss of her virginity without marriage and childbearing, signifying the end of his lineage through her, became the focal point of an annual custom of lamentation for the daughters of Israel. The most direct and biblically consistent interpretation within the broader narrative of the Judges period suggests Jephthah sacrificed her life, a forbidden act, in fulfillment of his rash oath, and her virginity being emphasized points to the dual tragedy of her untimely death and the termination of a potential lineage.

Judges 11 39 Context

Judges chapter 11 narrates the story of Jephthah, a "mighty warrior" (Jdg 11:1) who was the son of a prostitute, cast out by his half-brothers, and then called back to lead Israel against the Ammonites. Before engaging in battle, Jephthah makes a rash vow to the Lord: "Whatever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites, it shall be the LORD’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering" (Jdg 11:31). After a decisive victory, his only daughter comes out to meet him first. This verse (11:39) details the painful fulfillment of that vow, a tragic outcome shaped by the period of the Judges, where moral relativism ("everyone did what was right in his own eyes," Jdg 17:6, 21:25) led to distorted understanding of God's law and will. This deeply personal tragedy underscores the dire spiritual state of Israel, demonstrating a lack of knowledge regarding God's prohibitions against human sacrifice (Lev 18:21, Deut 12:31) and the provisions for redeeming vows (Leviticus 27). The annual custom described here becomes a poignant reminder of this terrible event and its profound loss.

Judges 11 39 Word analysis

• And it came to pass at the end of two months: This phrase (וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ שְׁנַיִם חֳדָשִׁים, wa-y'hi mik-kets sh'nayim kho-da-shim) marks a specific and fixed period. The two months allowed for the daughter to lament her specific fate with her companions, focusing not just on death, but crucially on the loss of her future without marriage and children. This duration suggests a ritualistic preparation for an irrevocable event.
• that she returned unto her father: She returns obediently, signifying acceptance of her inevitable fate as determined by her father's vow. This highlights her filial devotion and the societal structure where a daughter's destiny was often intertwined with her father's decisions.
• who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: This is the most crucial and controversial phrase (וַיַּעַשׂ לָהּ אֶת נִדְרוֹ אֲשֶׁר נָדָר, wa-ya'as lah et nidro asher nadar).
  • did with her (wa-ya'as lah): "Did with her" indicates an action carried out, aligning directly with the nature of the vow.
  • his vow (nidro): The Hebrew word נֶדֶר (neder) specifically denotes a solemn, binding pledge made to God, often involving dedication or sacrifice. The precise nature of Jephthah's "burnt offering" vow (Jdg 11:31) would typically mean destruction by fire as an offering.
  • which he had vowed (asher nadar): The repetition emphasizes the irrevocability and binding nature of the specific vow he had made. The context strongly implies a literal human sacrifice, a devastating act forbidden by Torah, yet carried out in a time of spiritual declension and ignorance. While some alternative interpretations suggest a life-long dedication to tabernacle service (consecration without death), this is difficult to reconcile with the phrase "burnt offering" and the lament for her specific loss of lineage. The text does not offer the possibility of redemption as provided in Lev 27 for dedicated persons.
• and she knew no man: (וְהִיא לֹא יָדְעָה אִישׁ, w'hi lo yad'ah ish) This Hebrew idiom explicitly states her virginity. This detail is paramount to understanding the custom of lament that follows. It underscores the dual tragedy: her premature death and, profoundly, the loss of her ability to bear children and perpetuate her father's lineage, a deeply significant aspect in ancient Israelite culture. It implies a direct cutoff of Jephthah's potential future family line through his only daughter.
• And it was a custom in Israel: (וַתְּהִי חֹק בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, wa-t'hi hok b'Yisra'el) This indicates that the events became memorialized in an annual tradition. The specific lament mentioned in the next verse (Jdg 11:40) for four days relates directly to Jephthah's daughter and her unique fate. It does not suggest that human sacrifice became a "custom," but rather that the lament for Jephthah's daughter's specific loss (her virginity, and thereby, her family's future, coupled with her untimely death) became a recognized tradition. This emphasizes the lasting impact and the deep cultural significance of the tragedy.

Judges 11 39 Bonus section

The story of Jephthah's daughter, though brief, offers deep insights into several theological and cultural tensions within the Bible. The fact that Jephthah is listed among the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11:32 poses a interpretive challenge for some readers. It suggests that Jephthah's faith was recognized not for the vow itself or its tragic fulfillment, but for his trust in God leading to victory against the Ammonites, despite his serious moral shortcomings and flawed theological understanding of vows. This highlights that God can work through imperfect people even in dark times. The narrative’s unflinching portrayal of this event, without explicitly condemning Jephthah in the narrative voice, is characteristic of biblical historiography in the Judges period—it presents the facts of moral decline and allows the reader to judge by the standard of God's revealed law. The emphasis on the "custom in Israel" being related to her specific virginity and the lament of her untimely loss (as indicated by the subsequent verse Judges 11:40) means the custom mourned the personal tragedy and loss of progeny, not an endorsement or replication of the vow itself.

Judges 11 39 Commentary

Judges 11:39 details the grim resolution of Jephthah's rash vow, portraying a profound tragedy born out of misplaced zeal and ignorance of God's law. In a period when "everyone did what was right in his own eyes," Jephthah, though recognized by God for his strength, demonstrates a warped understanding of Yahweh's character and demands. His vow to offer a "burnt offering" of whoever met him first, and its subsequent fulfillment upon his only daughter, defies clear Mosaic prohibitions against human sacrifice (e.g., Leviticus 18:21, Deuteronomy 12:31).

The phrase "who did with her according to his vow" should be understood in the context of a literal sacrifice. Had God permitted redemption (as for the firstborn, Ex 13:13, or persons vowed in Lev 27), the text would likely mention it. The absence of such an alternative, coupled with the clear intention of "burnt offering" in the initial vow, strongly indicates Jephthah carried out a human sacrifice.

The detail "and she knew no man" highlights a crucial dimension of the lamentable custom. It points to the specific grief not only of her premature death but, significantly, of the cutting off of her potential to marry, bear children, and continue her father's lineage. In ancient Israelite culture, perpetuating one's line was of utmost importance, and for an only child, this was particularly devastating. The yearly "custom" of lamenting by the daughters of Israel (mentioned in Jdg 11:40) serves as a lasting communal acknowledgment of this irreplaceable loss of life and lineage due to a father's mistaken piety. This story acts as a sobering example of the perils of making uninformed, binding vows and the catastrophic consequences when personal conviction overrides divine revelation, revealing the spiritual darkness prevalent during the Judges' era.