Focused Passage

Judges 11:29-31

Jephthah's Rise, Covenant Argument, and Tragic Vow

Jephthah rises from rejected son and outlaw leader to covenant spokesman and Spirit-empowered deliverer against Ammon, yet his unnecessary vow turns victory into domestic tragedy and exposes the dangerous mixture of faith, courage, ignorance, and disordered worship in Israel's leadership.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

29Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh, then through Mizpah of Gilead. And from there he advanced against the Ammonites.

30Jephthah made this vow to the LORD: “If indeed You will deliver the Ammonites into my hand,

31then whatever comes out the door of my house to greet me on my triumphant return from the Ammonites will belong to the LORD, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 29

Cross-references

Numbers 11:25Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 16:13Classic cross-references Genesis 31:49Classic cross-references Judges 10:17Classic cross-references Judges 13:25Classic cross-references

Original words

Then the Spiritר֣וּחַH7307Noun - common singular constructof the LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularcameוַתְּהִ֤יH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularuponעַל־H5921PrepositionJephthahיִפְתָּח֙H3316Noun - proper - masculine singularand he passed throughוַיַּעֲבֹ֥רH5674Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerGileadהַגִּלְעָ֖דH1568Article | Noun - proper - feminine singularandוְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerManassehמְנַשֶּׁ֑הH4519Noun - proper - masculine singularthen throughוַֽיַּעֲבֹר֙H5674Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerMizpahמִצְפֵּ֣הH4708Noun - proper - feminine singularof Gileadגִלְעָ֔דH1568Noun - proper - feminine singularAnd from [there]וּמִמִּצְפֵּ֣הH4708Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - proper - feminine singular. . .גִלְעָ֔דH1568Noun - proper - feminine singularhe advancedעָבַ֖רH5674Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularagainst the Ammonitesבְּנֵ֥יH1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .עַמּֽוֹן׃H5983Noun - proper - masculine singular

Verse 30

Cross-references

Genesis 28:20Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 1:11Classic cross-references Ecclesiastes 5:1Classic cross-references Ecclesiastes 5:4Classic cross-references Numbers 21:2Classic cross-references

Original words

Jephthahיִפְתָּ֥חH3316Noun - proper - masculine singularmadeוַיִּדַּ֨רH5087Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthis vowנֶ֛דֶרH5088Noun - masculine singularto the LORDלַיהוָ֖הH3068Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .וַיֹּאמַ֑רH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularIfאִם־H518Conjunctionindeedנָת֥וֹןH5414Verb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteYou will deliverתִּתֵּ֛ןH5414Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularthe Ammonitesבְּנֵ֥יH1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .עַמּ֖וֹןH5983Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerinto my handבְּיָדִֽי׃H3027Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular

Verse 31

Cross-references

Genesis 28:21Classic cross-references 2 Kings 3:27Classic cross-references Leviticus 5:4Classic cross-references Judges 11:39Classic cross-references Psalms 66:13Classic cross-references

Original words

thenוְהָיָ֣הH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularwhateverאֲשֶׁ֨רH834Pronoun - relative. . .יֵצֵ֜אH3318Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularcomes outהַיּוֹצֵ֗אH3318Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularthe doorמִדַּלְתֵ֤יH1817Preposition-m | Noun - feminine dual constructof my houseבֵיתִי֙H1004Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularto greet meלִקְרָאתִ֔יH7122Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | first person common singularon my triumphantבְשָׁל֖וֹםH7965Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singularreturnבְּשׁוּבִ֥יH7725Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | first person common singularfrom the Ammonitesמִבְּנֵ֣יH1121Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct. . .עַמּ֑וֹןH5983Noun - proper - masculine singularwill belong toוְהָיָה֙H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularthe LORDלַֽיהוָ֔הH3068Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularand I will offer it upוְהַעֲלִיתִ֖הוּH5927Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singularas a burnt offeringעוֹלָֽה׃פH5930Noun - feminine singular

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