Jephthah יִפְתָּח
A judge of Israel, known for his tragic vow.
Who is Jephthah in the Bible?
Jephthah was a judge of Israel who led the Israelites to victory against the Ammonites during the period of the judges (Judges 11). Born as the son of Gilead and a prostitute, he was rejected by his half-brothers and fled to the land of Tob, where he became a military leader. When the Ammonites threatened Israel, the elders of Gilead sought him out and promised him leadership if he could deliver them from invasion. Before battle, Jephthah made a vow to God that he would sacrifice whatever came out of his house first to meet him if he achieved victory (Judges 11:30-31). Tragically, his own daughter emerged to greet him upon his return, and he fulfilled his vow, making Jephthah a complex figure in Scripture whose story illustrates both the cost of rash promises and the faith of those who submit to God's will.
Biography
Jephthah was a judge of Israel during the period between the conquest of Canaan and the establishment of the monarchy. He was the son of Gilead and a prostitute, and his half-brothers drove him away from the family inheritance. Jephthah fled to the land of Tob, where he gathered a group of warriors around him. When the Ammonites attacked Israel, the elders of Gilead asked Jephthah to lead them in battle, promising him leadership if he succeeded. Jephthah made a vow to God, pledging to sacrifice the first thing that came out of his house to meet him if he were victorious. Jephthah defeated the Ammonites, but tragically, his daughter was the first to greet him upon his return. Jephthah fulfilled his vow, and his daughter willingly submitted to her fate. Jephthah judged Israel for six years before his death. His story highlights the importance of making wise vows and the consequences of rash decisions. Despite his tragic vow, Jephthah is commended in the New Testament for his faith and is listed among the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11.
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In Scripture
3 biblical books ; 1 with study contentJudges 5 verses
- Judges 11:1
"Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor; he was the son of a prostitute, and Gilead was his father."
- Judges 11:2
"And Gilead’s wife bore him sons who grew up, drove Jephthah out, and said to him, “You shall have no inheritance in our father’s house, because you are the son of another woman.”"
- Judges 11:3
"So Jephthah fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob, where worthless men gathered around him and traveled with him."
- Judges 11:5
"and made war with them, the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob."
- Judges 11:6
"“Come,” they said, “be our commander, so that we can fight against the Ammonites.”"
1 Samuel 1 verse
- 1 Samuel 12:11
"So the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel, and He delivered you from the hands of your enemies on every side, and you dwelt securely."
Hebrews 1 verse
- Hebrews 11:32
"And what more shall I say? Time will not allow me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets,"
Study Hebrews →
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | יִפְתָּח |
| Greek | Greek | Ἰεφθάε |
Jephthah
ref>; of a man, Jud 10:6-12:7): Ninth judge of the Israelites. His antecedents are obscure. Assuming Gilead to be the actual name of his father, his mother was a harlot. He was driven from home on account of his illegitimacy, and went to the land of Tobit in Eastern Syria (Jud 11:2,3). Here he and his followers lived the life of freebooters.
The Israelites beyond the Jordan being in danger of an invasion by the Ammonites, Jephthah was invited by the elders of Gilead to be their leader (Jud 11:5,6). Remembering how they had expelled him from their territory and his heritage, Jephthah demanded of them that in the event of success in the struggle with the Ammonites, he was to be continued as leader. This condition being accepted he returned to Gilead (Jud 11:7-11). The account of the diplomacy used by Jephthah to prevent the Ammonites from invading Gilead is possibly an interpolation, and is thought by many interpreters to be a compilation from Nu 20-21. It is of great interest, however, not only because of the fairness of the argument used (Jud 11:12-28), but also by virtue of the fact that it contains a history of the journey of the Israelites from Lower Egypt to the banks of the Jordan. This history is distinguished from that of the Pentateuch chiefly by the things omitted. If diplomacy was tried, it failed to dissuade the Ammonites from seeking to invade Israel. Jephthah prepared for battle, but before taking the field paused at Mizpeh of Gilead, and registered a vow that if he were successful in battle, he would offer as a burnt offering to Yahweh whatsoever should first come from his doors to greet him upon his return (Jud 11:29-31). The battle is fought, Jephthah is the victor, and now his vow returns to him with anguish and sorrow. Returning to his home, the first to greet him is his daughter and only child. The father's sorrow and the courage of the daughter are the only bright lights on this sordid, cruel conception of God and of the nature of sacrifice. That the sacrifice was made seems certain from the narrative, although some critics choose to substitute for the actual death of the maiden the setting the girl apart for a life of perpetual virginity. The Israelite laws concerning sacrifices and the language used in Jud 11:39 are the chief arguments for the latter interpretation. The entire narrative, however, will hardly bear this construction (11:34-40).
Jephthah was judge in Israel for 6 years, but appears only once more in the Scripture narrative. The men of Ephraim, offended because they had had no share in the victory over the Ammonites, made war upon Gilead, but were put to rout by the forces under Jephthah (Jud 12:1-6).
C. E. Schenk
(1) Father of Caleb (Nu 13:6; 14:6,30, etc.).
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