Judges 9 - 12

After the passing of Joshua, the scriptures reflect that there was no successor. Generally each of tribe was left to provide their own leadership. The Israelites generally fell back into their wicked ways worshipping idols. Because of their failure to keep the covenants of their forefathers, the Lord left them to their own strength. In my opinion, the seemed to desire worldly appetites, riches, and to be left alone to do their own thing - much like many today. They didn't seem to want to fight against anything. The just wanted worldly "peace".

It was under these circumstances that other nations came in and held different parts of the land in captivity. It was when they became humble and began to remember the Lord (much like the Nephites), that God fearing individuals that worshipped the Lord would step forward to lead the people. It seems to me that these were the individuals they called "Judges".

One of those that I read about today was of Jephthat who -

"...was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot..." (Old Testament Judges 11:1)

Because of that his family -

"...thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house; for thou art the son of a strange woman." (Old Testament Judges 11:2)

But Jephthah was one that loved the Lord and when things got rough on his family -

"...they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon." (Old Testament Judges 11:6)

Jephthah thought that interesting and asked -

"...Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my father's house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress?" (Old Testament Judges 11:7)

But agrees with the condition -

"...If ye bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before me, shall I be your head?
10 And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The LORD be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words." (Old Testament Judges 11:9 - 10)

And after some communication with the leaders of the Ammonites -

"...the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon." (Old Testament Judges 11:29)

Then Japhthah made an interesting vow where he -

"...vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,
31 Then 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." (Old Testament Judges 11:30 - 31)

I wonder of the writer of this book really got this story straight. This vow does not seem to be in line with what a God fearing man would commit to do. I wonder if he really meant a spiritual offering or commitment. We do know that -

"...Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands.
33 And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel." (Old Testament Judges 11:32 - 33)

And when Jephthah came home -

"...behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter...." (Old Testament Judges 11:34)

"And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back" (Old Testament Judges 11:35)

And his daughter faithfully said -

"...My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth..." (Old Testament Judges 11:36)

What happens next seems to support my thoughts of a spiritual offering where his daughter would devote her life to the Lord because she responds -

"...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..." (Old Testament Judges 11:37)

And when she returns -

"...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..." (Old Testament Judges 11:39)

The emphasis of bewailing her virginity and that she knew no man tends to support the idea that the vow dealt more with a life long offering. And I'm sure Jephthah's great disappointment in renting his clothes may have had more to do with no posterity.