The story of Jephthah and his daughter is a poignant and tragic tale from the Bible, found in the Book of Judges, chapters 11 and 12. Jephthah, a judge of Israel and a skilled warrior is called upon to defend his people against the Ammonites. Here’s a detailed look at the story:
Jephthah was the son of Gilead, but his mother was a prostitute, which caused him to be ostracized by his half-brothers. They expelled him from his family home, and he fled to the land of Tob, where a group of outcasts gathered around him. Despite his rough start, the elders of Gilead later sought his help when war with the Ammonites became imminent.
Though we can piece together a few general details from the historical time and place where he lived, just about everything we know of Jephthah (pronounced “JEFF-thuh”) comes from the Old Testament book of Judges, chapters 11-12.
Jephthah (meaning “set free”) was the son of a man named Gilead from a tribal area of ancient Israel that was also called Gilead. This was a stretch of heavily forested land about 20 miles wide, east of the Jordan River, which today is located in the country of Jordan. Jephthah lived during the 12th Century B.C., and the Bible says without blushing, “his mother was a prostitute” (Judges 11:1 NIV).
Although allowed to grow up in his father’s household, the prostitute’s son was eventually driven out by his half-brothers, who didn’t want him to share in their inheritance.
Jephthah settled further east, in a place called Tob, on the edge of the desert. There, he set up shop as an outlaw prince, and “a gang of scoundrels gathered around him and followed him” (Judges 11:3). His band of brigands earned a reputation as skilled fighters, and Jephthah himself became known as “a mighty warrior” (Judges 11:1 NIV).
Enter the Ammonite armies.
Trying to correct what they saw as a 300-year wrong, the Ammonites invaded Israel to reclaim lands taken from their ancestors by Joshua and the Israelites of the Exodus. That frightened the elders of Gilead enough to come plead for help from their exiled bandit. Suddenly, being a prostitute’s son was no longer such a big deal.
A bargain was struck: Jephthah would lead an Israelite army against the Ammonites. If he came back victorious, he’d be anointed “head”—a king-like position—over the Hebrews in Gilead.
Judges 11:29 (NIV) reveals, “Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jephthah. He … advanced against the Ammonites.” Upon seeing the enemy firsthand, Jephthah’s confidence faltered. Uncertain of victory, he followed a custom of the surrounding pagan cultures and proposed a “bargain with God,” as Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary stated.
“If you give the Ammonites into my hands,” he vowed, “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).
Scripture reports, “Then Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites, and the Lord gave them into his hands” (Judges 11:32 NIV). The victory was so decisive that he “devastated” 20 Ammonite towns, and “Thus Israel subdued Ammon” (Judges 11:33 NIV).
The conquering king returned home to glory.
In Mizpah, Jephthah’s home in Gilead, news of his victory spread like wildfire, and celebration ensued. When his delighted daughter—and only child—heard her father was outside the door, she came dancing out to greet him.
Judges 11:37 reports that Jephthah’s daughter was young—not yet married, but old enough to be thinking of marriage and family. In the ancient Middle East, girls commonly married in their early to mid-teens, usually becoming engaged after they first started menstruating. So, although we can’t know this girl’s age for sure, we can safely assume she was under 14, probably around 12 years or so.
The girl’s joyful welcome and the happy music of timbrels were quickly silenced when Jephthah saw her. He immediately tore his clothes and started wailing, “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 NIV).
Jephthah’s little princess was given two months to mourn with her friends “because she would never marry” (Judges 11:38 NIV). Then, in a sham service to God, Gilead’s new king lit the flame that gruesomely burned his daughter to ashes in a pagan-style ritual of human sacrifice (Judges 11:39).
Jephthah’s grief was real, to be sure … but he also had to have known that his vow meant a member of his family would die. That it was his precious daughter instead of some supposed “lesser” household member (such as a slave) does little to exonerate him.
The Law of Moses expressly prohibited any Israelite from practicing human sacrifice, emphasizing it as something “the Lord hates” (see Deuteronomy 12:29-31). In light of that, some have suggested hopefully that perhaps the daughter’s life was spared, that she lived into adulthood “in perpetual virginity [as] a fulfillment of the vow.” Unfortunately, the hard truth is that Judges 11 (along with other textual and historical evidence) says otherwise—and says it plainly—whether our modern sensibilities like it or not.
Sadly, while God’s Spirit empowered Jephthah and knew something of Moses, he didn’t understand who God was or what God desired. That ignorance cost his innocent daughter her life.
As one of Israel’s judges, Jephthah certainly earned his place on the honor roll of Jewish history. He did rescue Gilead from Ammonite invaders. And he subsequently defeated a serious threat from Ephraimite armies too (Judges 12:1-6). Despite that, he’ll always be remembered as the foolish, cruel father who sacrificed his daughter due to an unnecessary vow.
Jephthah ruled Israel for only six years (Judges 12:7). Scripture makes no mention of anyone mourning his death, or of any other children born to him. It seems that when he murdered his daughter, Jephthah also ended his family line. As one theologian explained:
“He not only sacrifice[d] his daughter but also himself. In the ancient world people were thought to live on through their children. Accordingly, the worst fate one could experience was to have one’s ‘seed’ cut off and ‘name’ destroyed.”
Interestingly, similar to what’s described in Judges 11:40, some Jewish women today still ritually mourn Jephthah’s daughter during the winter solstice—the traditional date ascribed to the little girl’s death.
The story of Jephthah and his daughter raises profound questions about rash vows, the cost of leadership, and the human consequences of divine bargains. It’s a somber narrative that reflects on the complexities of faith, the pitfalls of impulsive promises, and the personal sacrifices that often accompany leadership and victory. This tale remains a poignant reminder of the importance of weighing one's words and actions, especially those made in moments of great distress or desperation.
Sources:
Stephen M. Miller. Who’s Who and Where’s Where in the Bible (Uhrichsville, OH: Barbour Publishing, 2004) 127.
Joan Comay and Ronald Brown. Who’s Who in the Bible (New York: Bonanza Books, 1971, 1980) 196.
John H. Walton, General Editor. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, Volume 2: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel (Grand Rapids, MI: 2009) 180-181.
Alicia Ostriker. “Jephthah's Daughter: A Lament.” RitualWell. https://ritualwell.org/ritual/jephthahs-daughter-lament. Accessed 08-14-2019.
Mike Nappa is a big ol’ Bible Study Nerd, and an ongoing Bible commentary and theology writer for Christianity.com. He’s also a bestselling and award-winning Christian author with more than a million copies of his books sold worldwide. Learn more about Mikey at Nappaland.com and MikeNappa.com.
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