Focused Passage

Judges 11:34-36

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

34And when Jephthah returned home to Mizpah, there was his daughter coming out to meet him with tambourines and dancing! She was his only child; he had no son or daughter besides her.

35As soon as Jephthah saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “No! Not my daughter! You have brought me to my knees! You have brought great misery upon me, for I have given my word to the LORD and cannot take it back.”

36“My father,” she replied, “you have given your word to the LORD. Do to me as you have said, for the LORD has avenged you of your enemies, the Ammonites.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 34

Cross-references

Exodus 15:20Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 18:6Classic cross-references 2 Samuel 6:14Classic cross-references Jeremiah 31:4Classic cross-references Judges 21:21Classic cross-references

Original words

And when Jephthahיִפְתָּ֣חH3316Noun - proper - masculine singularreturnedוַיָּבֹ֨אH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularאֶל־אֶל־H413Prepositionhomeבֵּיתוֹ֒H1004Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularto Mizpahהַמִּצְפָּה֮H4709Article | Noun - proper - feminine singularthereוְהִנֵּ֤הH2009Conjunctive waw | Interjectionwas his daughterבִתּוֹ֙H1323Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularcoming outיֹצֵ֣אתH3318Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singularto meet himלִקְרָאת֔וֹH7122Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singularwith tambourinesבְתֻפִּ֖יםH8596Preposition-b | Noun - masculine pluraland dancingוּבִמְחֹל֑וֹתH4246Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural. . .וְרַק֙H7535Conjunctive waw | AdverbSheהִ֣יאH1931Pronoun - third person feminine singularwas his only childיְחִידָ֔הH3173Adjective - feminine singularhe hadל֥וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularnoאֵֽין־H369Adverbsonבֵּ֖ןH1121Noun - masculine singularorאוֹ־H176Conjunctiondaughterבַֽת׃H1323Noun - feminine singularbesides herמִמֶּ֛נּוּH4480Preposition | third person masculine singular

Verse 35

Cross-references

Psalms 15:4Classic cross-references Psalms 66:14Classic cross-references 2 Samuel 3:31Classic cross-references Genesis 14:22Classic cross-references Genesis 42:36Classic cross-references

Original words

As soon asוַיְהִי֩H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular[Jephthah] sawכִרְאוֹת֨וֹH7200Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singularherאוֹתָ֜הּH853Direct object marker | third person feminine singularhe toreוַיִּקְרַ֣עH7167Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerhis clothesבְּגָדָ֗יוH899Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularand saidוַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙H559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularNoאֲהָ֤הּH162InterjectionNot my daughterבִּתִּי֙H1323Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularYou have brought me to my kneesהַכְרֵ֣עַH3766Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute. . .הִכְרַעְתִּ֔נִיH3766Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person feminine singular | first person common singularYouוְאַ֖תְּH859Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person feminine singular. . .הָיִ֣יתְH1961Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person feminine singularhave brought great misery upon meבְּעֹֽכְרָ֑יH5916Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common singularfor Iוְאָנֹכִ֗יH595Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singularhave given my wordפָּצִ֤יתִי־H6475Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular. . .פִי֙H6310Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularand cannotוְלֹ֥אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle. . .אוּכַ֖לH3201Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singulartake it backלָשֽׁוּב׃H7725Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct

Verse 36

Cross-references

Acts 21:13Classic cross-references 2 Samuel 18:19Classic cross-references Jeremiah 44:17Classic cross-references Philippians 2:30Classic cross-references Romans 16:4Classic cross-references

Original words

My fatherאָבִי֙H1Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularshe repliedוַתֹּ֣אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularאֵלָ֗יואֵלָ֗יוH413Preposition | third person masculine singularyou have given your wordפָּצִ֤יתָהH6475Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object marker-פִּ֙יךָ֙H6310Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularDoעֲשֵׂ֣הH6213Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularto meלִ֔יPreposition | first person common singularasכַּאֲשֶׁ֖רH834Preposition-k | Pronoun - relativeyou have saidיָצָ֣אH3318Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular. . .מִפִּ֑יךָH6310Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularforאַחֲרֵ֡יH310Preposition-אֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativethe LORDיְהוָ֧הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularhasעָשָׂה֩H6213Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularavengedנְקָמ֛וֹתH5360Noun - feminine pluralyouלְךָ֙Preposition | second person masculine singularof your enemiesמֵאֹיְבֶ֖יךָH341Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularthe Ammonitesמִבְּנֵ֥יH1121Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct. . .עַמּֽוֹן׃H5983Noun - proper - masculine singular

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