Podcast Introduction

Our reading today is Judges 7-11, and I’m calling the episode “Think Before You Speak”. 

Comments on Judges 11

Jephthah was the illegitimate son of Gilead and a prostitute, and was a brave soldier.

We're told in verse 3 that "...he attracted a group of worthless men...". Worthless men probably means that these were men who were poor...men without means.

I want to focus on the vow Jephthah made.

"29 Then the spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah." This is where his courage came from as he went forward to accomplish his victory over Ammon...

30 Jephthah promised the Lord: “If you will give me victory over the Ammonites, 31I will burn as an offering the first person that comes out of my house to meet me, when I come back from the victory. I will offer that person to you as a sacrifice.”

Judges 11:29-30 GNT

 30 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, 31then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.

Judges 11:30-31 KJV

30 Jephthah made this vow to the Lord: “If You will hand over the Ammonites to me, 31 whatever comes out of the doors of my house to greet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites will belong to the Lord, and I will offer it as a burnt offering.”

Judges 11:30-31 HCSB

30 And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord: “If you give the Ammonites into my hands, 31 whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.”

Judges 11:30-31 NIV

31I will give to the Lord whatever comes out of my house to meet me when I return in triumph. I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.”

Judges 11:31 NLT

31then it hath been, that which at all cometh out from the doors of my house to meet me in my turning back in peace from the Bene-Ammon — it hath been to Jehovah, or I have offered up for it — a burnt-offering.’

Judges 11:31 Young’s Literal Translation

So I looked up the original Hebrew word, which is ‘aher. There are many English words that this Hebrew word are translated into. By far, the most used is which or whichever (1928 times). Different forms of who, whom, whoever or whomever (1219 times).  Different forms of  what  or whatever  (230). 

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Making vows or oaths or promises to God should never be done rashly, hastily, lightly, thoughtlessly or emotionally. Any way you want to say it. A vow should always be done thoughtfully and seriously.

Numbers 30:2 When a man makes a vow to give something to the Lord or takes an oath to abstain from something, he must not break his promise, but must do everything that he said he would.

Once you speak the vow, it is set in stone. 

Jephthah’s vow was a foolish vow. Even though verse 29 said that the spirit of the Lord came upon him, he still acted foolishly. Having the Holy Spirit in us does not guarantee that we won’t be stupid. The Holy Spirit does not control us or take us over. We are still responsible for our actions. 

It’s almost as if Jephthah was trying to offer God a bribe. “If you’ll give me victory, then I will make an offering to you.