March 12, 2025
How do we understand Jephthah's vow in Judges 11?
Judges 9-12
Rene Martinez
Big Book Idea
God's people do what's right in their own eyes. And it doesn't go well.
Key Verse | Judges 11:30-31
And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD and said, "If you will give the Ammonites into my hand, then whatever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites shall be the LORD'S, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering."
Judges 9-12
Chapter 9
Abimelech's Conspiracy
1 Now Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother's relatives and said to them and to the whole clan of his mother's family, 2 “Say in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal rule over you, or that one rule over you?’ Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.”
3 And his mother's relatives spoke all these words on his behalf in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem, and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.” 4 And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows, who followed him. 5 And he went to his father's house at Ophrah and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself. 6 And all the leaders of Shechem came together, and all Beth-millo, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar at Shechem.
7 When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim and cried aloud and said to them, “Listen to me, you leaders of Shechem, that God may listen to you. 8 The trees once went out to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’ 9 But the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my abundance, by which gods and men are honored, and go hold sway over the trees?’ 10 And the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and reign over us.’ 11 But the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit and go hold sway over the trees?’ 12 And the trees said to the vine, ‘You come and reign over us.’ 13 But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my wine that cheers God and men and go hold sway over the trees?’ 14 Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come and reign over us.’ 15 And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in good faith you are anointing me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade, but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’
16 Now therefore, if you acted in good faith and integrity when you made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house and have done to him as his deeds deserved— 17 for my father fought for you and risked his life and delivered you from the hand of Midian, 18 and you have risen up against my father's house this day and have killed his sons, seventy men on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the leaders of Shechem, because he is your relative— 19 if you then have acted in good faith and integrity with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you. 20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the leaders of Shechem and from Beth-millo and devour Abimelech.” 21 And Jotham ran away and fled and went to Beer and lived there, because of Abimelech his brother.
The Downfall of Abimelech
22 Abimelech ruled over Israel three years. 23 And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, 24 that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. 25 And the leaders of Shechem put men in ambush against him on the mountaintops, and they robbed all who passed by them along that way. And it was told to Abimelech.
26 And Gaal the son of Ebed moved into Shechem with his relatives, and the leaders of Shechem put confidence in him. 27 And they went out into the field and gathered the grapes from their vineyards and trod them and held a festival; and they went into the house of their god and ate and drank and reviled Abimelech. 28 And Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who are we of Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? 29 Would that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech. I would say 1 9:29 Septuagint; Hebrew and he said to Abimelech, ‘Increase your army, and come out.’”
30 When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled. 31 And he sent messengers to Abimelech secretly, 2 9:31 Or at Tormah saying, “Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his relatives have come to Shechem, and they are stirring up 3 9:31 Hebrew besieging, or closing up the city against you. 32 Now therefore, go by night, you and the people who are with you, and set an ambush in the field. 33 Then in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, rise early and rush upon the city. And when he and the people who are with him come out against you, you may do to them as your hand finds to do.”
34 So Abimelech and all the men who were with him rose up by night and set an ambush against Shechem in four companies. 35 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city, and Abimelech and the people who were with him rose from the ambush. 36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down from the mountaintops!” And Zebul said to him, “You mistake 4 9:36 Hebrew You see the shadow of the mountains for men.” 37 Gaal spoke again and said, “Look, people are coming down from the center of the land, and one company is coming from the direction of the Diviners' Oak.” 38 Then Zebul said to him, “Where is your mouth now, you who said, ‘Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?’ Are not these the people whom you despised? Go out now and fight with them.” 39 And Gaal went out at the head of the leaders of Shechem and fought with Abimelech. 40 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him. And many fell wounded, up to the entrance of the gate. 41 And Abimelech lived at Arumah, and Zebul drove out Gaal and his relatives, so that they could not dwell at Shechem.
42 On the following day, the people went out into the field, and Abimelech was told. 43 He took his people and divided them into three companies and set an ambush in the fields. And he looked and saw the people coming out of the city. So he rose against them and killed them. 44 Abimelech and the company that was with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city, while the two companies rushed upon all who were in the field and killed them. 45 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day. He captured the city and killed the people who were in it, and he razed the city and sowed it with salt.
46 When all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered the stronghold of the house of El-berith. 47 Abimelech was told that all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem were gathered together. 48 And Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him. And Abimelech took an axe in his hand and cut down a bundle of brushwood and took it up and laid it on his shoulder. And he said to the men who were with him, “What you have seen me do, hurry and do as I have done.” 49 So every one of the people cut down his bundle and following Abimelech put it against the stronghold, and they set the stronghold on fire over them, so that all the people of the Tower of Shechem also died, about 1,000 men and women.
50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez and encamped against Thebez and captured it. 51 But there was a strong tower within the city, and all the men and women and all the leaders of the city fled to it and shut themselves in, and they went up to the roof of the tower. 52 And Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it and drew near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire. 53 And a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech's head and crushed his skull. 54 Then he called quickly to the young man his armor-bearer and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” And his young man thrust him through, and he died. 55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, everyone departed to his home. 56 Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers. 57 And God also made all the evil of the men of Shechem return on their heads, and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
Chapter 10
Tola and Jair
1 After Abimelech there arose to save Israel Tola the son of Puah, son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, and he lived at Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim. 2 And he judged Israel twenty-three years. Then he died and was buried at Shamir.
3 After him arose Jair the Gileadite, who judged Israel twenty-two years. 4 And he had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys, and they had thirty cities, called Havvoth-jair to this day, which are in the land of Gilead. 5 And Jair died and was buried in Kamon.
Further Disobedience and Oppression
6 The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines. And they forsook the LORD and did not serve him. 7 So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the Ammonites, 8 and they crushed and oppressed the people of Israel that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all the people of Israel who were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. 9 And the Ammonites crossed the Jordan to fight also against Judah and against Benjamin and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was severely distressed.
10 And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD, saying, “We have sinned against you, because we have forsaken our God and have served the Baals.” 11 And the LORD said to the people of Israel, “Did I not save you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites, from the Ammonites and from the Philistines? 12 The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you, and you cried out to me, and I saved you out of their hand. 13 Yet you have forsaken me and served other gods; therefore I will save you no more. 14 Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.” 15 And the people of Israel said to the LORD, “We have sinned; do to us whatever seems good to you. Only please deliver us this day.” 16 So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD, and he became impatient over the misery of Israel.
17 Then the Ammonites were called to arms, and they encamped in Gilead. And the people of Israel came together, and they encamped at Mizpah. 18 And the people, the leaders of Gilead, said one to another, “Who is the man who will begin to fight against the Ammonites? He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”
Chapter 11
Jephthah Delivers Israel
1 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior, but he was the son of a prostitute. Gilead was the father of Jephthah. 2 And Gilead's wife also bore him sons. And when his wife's sons grew up, they drove Jephthah out and said to him, “You shall not have an inheritance in our father's house, for you are the son of another woman.” 3 Then Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob, and worthless fellows collected around Jephthah and went out with him.
4 After a time the Ammonites made war against Israel. 5 And when the Ammonites made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to bring Jephthah from the land of Tob. 6 And they said to Jephthah, “Come and be our leader, that we may fight against the Ammonites.” 7 But Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “Did you not hate me and drive me out of my father's house? Why have you come to me now when you are in distress?” 8 And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “That is why we have turned to you now, that you may go with us and fight against the Ammonites and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.” 9 Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “If you bring me home again to fight against the Ammonites, and the LORD gives them over to me, I will be your head.” 10 And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “The LORD will be witness between us, if we do not do as you say.” 11 So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and leader over them. And Jephthah spoke all his words before the LORD at Mizpah.
12 Then Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites and said, “What do you have against me, that you have come to me to fight against my land?” 13 And the king of the Ammonites answered the messengers of Jephthah, “Because Israel on coming up from Egypt took away my land, from the Arnon to the Jabbok and to the Jordan; now therefore restore it peaceably.” 14 Jephthah again sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites 15 and said to him, “Thus says Jephthah: Israel did not take away the land of Moab or the land of the Ammonites, 16 but when they came up from Egypt, Israel went through the wilderness to the Red Sea and came to Kadesh. 17 Israel then sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, ‘Please let us pass through your land,’ but the king of Edom would not listen. And they sent also to the king of Moab, but he would not consent. So Israel remained at Kadesh.
18 Then they journeyed through the wilderness and went around the land of Edom and the land of Moab and arrived on the east side of the land of Moab and camped on the other side of the Arnon. But they did not enter the territory of Moab, for the Arnon was the boundary of Moab. 19 Israel then sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, king of Heshbon, and Israel said to him, ‘Please let us pass through your land to our country,’ 20 but Sihon did not trust Israel to pass through his territory, so Sihon gathered all his people together and encamped at Jahaz and fought with Israel. 21 And the LORD, the God of Israel, gave Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they defeated them. So Israel took possession of all the land of the Amorites, who inhabited that country. 22 And they took possession of all the territory of the Amorites from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the wilderness to the Jordan. 23 So then the LORD, the God of Israel, dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel; and are you to take possession of them? 24 Will you not possess what Chemosh your god gives you to possess? And all that the LORD our God has dispossessed before us, we will possess. 25 Now are you any better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever contend against Israel, or did he ever go to war with them? 26 While Israel lived in Heshbon and its villages, and in Aroer and its villages, and in all the cities that are on the banks of the Arnon, 300 years, why did you not deliver them within that time? 27 I therefore have not sinned against you, and you do me wrong by making war on me. The LORD, the Judge, decide this day between the people of Israel and the people of Ammon.” 28 But the king of the Ammonites did not listen to the words of Jephthah that he sent to him.
Jephthah's Tragic Vow
29 Then the Spirit of the LORD was upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh and passed on to Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he passed on to the Ammonites. 30 And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD and said, “If you will give the Ammonites into my hand, 31 then whatever 5 11:31 Or whoever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites shall be the LORD's, and I will offer it 6 11:31 Or him up for a burnt offering.” 32 So Jephthah crossed over to the Ammonites to fight against them, and the LORD gave them into his hand. 33 And he struck them from Aroer to the neighborhood of Minnith, twenty cities, and as far as Abel-keramim, with a great blow. So the Ammonites were subdued before the people of Israel.
34 Then Jephthah came to his home at Mizpah. And behold, his daughter came out to meet him with tambourines and with dances. She was his only child; besides her he had neither son nor daughter. 35 And as soon as he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you have become the cause of great trouble to me. For I have opened my mouth to the LORD, and I cannot take back my vow.” 36 And she said to him, “My father, you have opened your mouth to the LORD; do to me according to what has gone out of your mouth, now that the LORD has avenged you on your enemies, on the Ammonites.” 37 So she said to her father, “Let this thing be done for me: leave me alone two months, that I may go up and down on the mountains and weep for my virginity, I and my companions.” 38 So he said, “Go.” Then he sent her away for two months, and she departed, she and her companions, and wept for her virginity on the mountains. 39 And at the end of two months, she returned to her father, who did with her according to his vow that he had made. She had never known a man, and it became a custom in Israel 40 that the daughters of Israel went year by year to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in the year.
Chapter 12
Jephthah's Conflict with Ephraim
1 The men of Ephraim were called to arms, and they crossed to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight against the Ammonites and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house over you with fire.” 2 And Jephthah said to them, “I and my people had a great dispute with the Ammonites, and when I called you, you did not save me from their hand. 3 And when I saw that you would not save me, I took my life in my hand and crossed over against the Ammonites, and the LORD gave them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day to fight against me?” 4 Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought with Ephraim. And the men of Gilead struck Ephraim, because they said, “You are fugitives of Ephraim, you Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim and Manasseh.” 5 And the Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites. And when any of the fugitives of Ephraim said, “Let me go over,” the men of Gilead said to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” When he said, “No,” 6 they said to him, “Then say Shibboleth,” and he said, “Sibboleth,” for he could not pronounce it right. Then they seized him and slaughtered him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time 42,000 of the Ephraimites fell.
7 Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in his city in Gilead. 7 12:7 Septuagint; Hebrew in the cities of Gilead
Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon
8 After him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. 9 He had thirty sons, and thirty daughters he gave in marriage outside his clan, and thirty daughters he brought in from outside for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years. 10 Then Ibzan died and was buried at Bethlehem.
11 After him Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel, and he judged Israel ten years. 12 Then Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried at Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.
13 After him Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel. 14 He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys, and he judged Israel eight years. 15 Then Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried at Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.
Table of Contents
Introduction to Judges
Timeline
Author and Date
Nowhere in Scripture is an author of this book named. The events in Judges took place in the period between Joshua’s death and the rise of Samuel and Saul. Most of the book was likely written by David’s time (1010–970 B.C.).
Theme
The theme of Judges is the downward spiral of Israel’s national and spiritual life into chaos and rebellion against God, showing the need for a godly king (17:6; 21:25).
Purpose and Pattern
The book of Judges was written to show the consequences of religious unfaithfulness and to point the way to a king who, if righteous, would lead the people to God. In the book of Joshua, the people of Israel seemed to want to follow the Lord and obey his commands. The book of Judges reveals, however, that the people had been rebelling even in Joshua’s time. This disobedience continued and grew more serious throughout the period of the judges. As summarized in Judges 2:16–23, time and again Israel turned its back on God and embraced the gods and ways of the Canaanites. Israel’s history unfolds in a repetitive way, with each cycle taking Israel further away from God. By the end of the book, Israel had violated its covenant with God in almost every way imaginable.
Key Themes
- Israel’s existence in the land, which had been promised by God, was threatened by its continuing rebellion. Israel had not conquered the land completely (ch. 1), because of its unfaithfulness (2:1–3, 20–22). Therefore, the day would come when the nation would be taken captive, away from the land (18:30).
- The oppressions, chaos, and generally negative picture in the book are due to Israel’s repeated sin. Time and again the Israelites broke the covenant, turning to the Canaanite gods and “doing evil” (2:3, 11–13, 17, 19; 3:6, 7, 12; 4:1; 6:1, 10; 8:24–27, 33; 10:6; 13:1; 17:6; 21:25), and they repeatedly suffered the consequences.
- Despite Israel’s repeated falling away, God in his faithfulness continually delivered them. This was not due to Israel’s merits or its repentance. Instead it was because of God’s compassion and pity (2:16, 18) and his faithfulness to his promises to Abraham (Deut. 6:10–11; compare Gen. 12:7; 15:7, 18–21; 26:2–3; 35:12).
- The judges were not able to stop the peoples’ unfaithfulness. If anything, they made it worse. Major judges such as Gideon (8:24–27), Jephthah (11:30–31, 34–40), and Samson (chs. 14–16) were guilty of significant sin. The shining exception was Deborah (chs. 4–5).
- Israel needed a godly king to lead it in doing right in the Lord’s eyes rather than a leader who “did what was right in his own eyes” (compare 17:6; 21:25). God had promised from the beginning that there would be kings (Gen. 17:6, 16; 35:11; 49:10), and had explained what a godly king would look like (Deut. 17:14–20). The book of Judges shows the depths to which the people of Israel descended in the absence of a godly king.
Outline
- The Roots of Israel’s Unfaithfulness (1:1–3:6)
- The Downward Spiral of Israel’s Unfaithfulness (3:7–16:31)
- The Depths of Israel’s Unfaithfulness (17:1–21:25)
The Setting of Judges
Fact: Mount Gerizim
Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal make up the sides of the east-west pass into the Valley of Shechem. When Joshua conquered central Israel, he used these mountains as symbols, pronouncing blessings from Mount Gerizim and punishments from Mount Ebal (Josh. 8:30–35). Perhaps because of its historical importance, Jotham chose Mount Gerizim as the place to tell his prophetic story about the trees and the bramble bush (Judg. 9:7–21).
Fact: Foolish vows
Foolish vows. When Jephthah realized that his foolish vow could result in the death of his daughter (11:29–40), he could have broken the vow. For whatever reason, however, he chose not to break the vow.
Fact: Is it “Shibboleth” or “Sibboleth”?
Is it “Shibboleth” or “Sibboleth”? The Gileadites came up with a clever test to distinguish between their friends and their enemies (12:1–6). Knowing that the rival Ephraimites spoke a slightly different dialect, they asked them to say the word “Shibboleth.” The Ephraimites pronounced the word with an “s” rather than a “sh” sound, thus making them easy to spot. Today, a “shibboleth” is a word or expression of belief that “insiders” use to determine who is an “outsider.” Thus, if a person doesn’t express his beliefs using just the right words, he may be rejected by a particular group.
The Judges
| Judge | Reference | Tribe | Oppressor | Period of Oppression | Period of Rest | Total Length of Time* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Othniel | 3:7–11 | Judah | Mesopotamians | 8 years (3:8) | 40 years (3:11) | 48 years |
| Ehud | 3:12–30 | Benjamin | Moabites | 18 years (3:14) | 80 years (3:30) | 98 years |
| Shamgar | 3:31 | Philistines | ||||
| Deborah | chs. 4–5 | Ephraim | Canaanites | 20 years (4:3) | 40 years (5:31) | 60 years |
| Gideon | chs. 6–8 | Manasseh | Midianites | 7 years (6:1) | 40 years (8:28) | 47 years |
| Tola | 10:1–2 | Issachar | 23 years (10:2) | 23 years | ||
| Jair | 10:3–5 | Gilead-Manasseh | 22 years (10:3) | 22 years | ||
| Jephthah | 10:6–12:7 | Gilead-Manasseh | Ammonites | 24 years (10:8; 12:7) | 24 years | |
| Ibzan | 12:8–10 | Judah or Zebulun? | 7 years (12:9) | 7 years | ||
| Elon | 12:11–12 | Zebulun | 10 years (12:11) | 10 years | ||
| Abdon | 12:13–15 | Ephraim | 8 years (12:14) | 8 years | ||
| Samson | chs. 13–16 | Dan | Philistines | 40 years (13:1) | 20 years (15:20; 16:31) | 60 years |
*Added together, the dates in this column total about 410 years. However, many of the episodes in Judges overlap each other, unfolding in different parts of the land.
Jephthah
Jephthah, one of the judges of Israel, was a mighty warrior from Gilead. Because he was the son of a prostitute, his half brothers rejected him. He fled to another town, where he associated with “worthless fellows” (11:3). This was probably a reflection on his own character as well. When enemies began oppressing the Israelites, they appointed Jephthah as their leader without seeking God’s approval. Before going into battle with the Ammonites, Jephthah made a foolish vow: that if he were victorious, he would sacrifice to the Lord the first thing to emerge from his house upon his return. When he did return victorious, he was greeted at the door by his daughter, his only child. Jephthah followed through on his irresponsible vow, even though the Mosaic law did not require him to do so. (Judges 11:5)
Abimelech
Gideon’s son Abimelech became king over the city of Shechem thanks to his family’s successful campaign to influence the city’s leaders. He then removed his strongest competition for leadership by ruthlessly killing 70 of his own brothers. Abimelech’s youngest brother Jotham, who alone had escaped the murderous rampage, courageously condemned Abimelech and the leaders. He told a fable that predicted the judgment that would fall on Abimelech and the leaders for the deaths of Gideon’s sons. When the people of Shechem later turned against Abimelech, he successfully resisted their rebellion by killing many people and destroying their city. But then, as he tried to capture a nearby city, a woman dropped a millstone on his head, crushing his skull. This episode in Israel’s history shows some of the consequences of Israel’s unfaithfulness to the Lord (8:33–34). (Judges 9:5–6)
Judg 9:1–6 Abimelech rose to power by ruthlessly killing his own brothers, with the help of the Shechemites. He was then “made king” at Shechem (v. 6). Jerubbaal. That is, Gideon (see 8:35 and note on 6:32). worthless and reckless fellows. Abimelech’s character can be judged by the company that he kept.
Judg 9:7 Mount Gerizim. See Deut. 11:26–32; Josh. 8:30–35.
Judg 9:7–21 Jotham, the only brother of Abimelech to survive his murderous rampage, tells a fable criticizing Abimelech’s actions. In the fable, the noble trees of the forest each reject the offer of kingship. Finally, the dishonorable bramble bush accepts the call and becomes king. The fable is an indictment of the Shechemites (who have chosen a king of such low character) and of Abimelech himself.
Fact: Mount Gerizim
Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal make up the sides of the east-west pass into the Valley of Shechem. When Joshua conquered central Israel, he used these mountains as symbols, pronouncing blessings from Mount Gerizim and punishments from Mount Ebal (Josh. 8:30–35). Perhaps because of its historical importance, Jotham chose Mount Gerizim as the place to tell his prophetic story about the trees and the bramble bush (Judg. 9:7–21).
Judg 9:22 The Hebrew word for ruled suggests that Abimelech had only the power of a secondary commander, not of a true king.
Judg 9:23 God sent an evil spirit between. “Evil spirit” probably means a “spirit of ill will” or a “harmful spirit” between the parties. Thus God himself brought about the split between the two sides.
Judg 9:45 sowed it with salt. This physical and also symbolic action turned Shechem into a barren, uninhabitable desert (compare Deut. 29:23; Ps. 107:34). It was later rebuilt by Jeroboam (1 Kings 12:25).
Judg 9:54 kill me. Being killed by a woman was a disgrace to a warrior.
Judg 9:22–55 The Shechemites, who had made Abimelech their king (vv. 1–6), eventually rebelled against him (vv. 26–33). Abimelech was able to stop the revolt, and he burned Shechem and its defenses (vv. 34–39). Abimelech himself was then killed while trying to destroy neighboring Thebez (vv. 50–55).
Abimelech
Gideon’s son Abimelech became king over the city of Shechem thanks to his family’s successful campaign to influence the city’s leaders. He then removed his strongest competition for leadership by ruthlessly killing 70 of his own brothers. Abimelech’s youngest brother Jotham, who alone had escaped the murderous rampage, courageously condemned Abimelech and the leaders. He told a fable that predicted the judgment that would fall on Abimelech and the leaders for the deaths of Gideon’s sons. When the people of Shechem later turned against Abimelech, he successfully resisted their rebellion by killing many people and destroying their city. But then, as he tried to capture a nearby city, a woman dropped a millstone on his head, crushing his skull. This episode in Israel’s history shows some of the consequences of Israel’s unfaithfulness to the Lord (8:33–34). (Judges 9:5–6)
Judg 10:1–2 Tola was the sixth judge, the second “minor” judge. Little is recorded about him. He judged 23 years. He arose to save Israel after Abimelech’s damaging rule.
Judg 10:3–5 Jair, the seventh judge and third minor judge, judged 22 years. He was rather wealthy (v. 4) and lived in Gilead.
Judg 10:6 The references to seven groupings of foreign gods (compare the seven nations in vv. 11–12) shows the wide scope of Israel’s unfaithfulness. Not only did they worship the major Canaanite deities (Baal, Asherah, Ashtoreth; see notes on 2:13; 3:7; 6:25–26), but apparently they worshiped the gods of any people with whom they came into contact.
Judg 10:14 gods whom you have chosen. See v. 6. The Israelites had also “chosen” new gods in Deborah’s time (5:8).
Judg 10:16 he became impatient over the misery of Israel. This phrase may be saying that God was moved to mercy by Israel’s misery and repentance (see 2:18). Another interpretation is that Israel’s unfaithfulness, which causes their misery, is making God impatient. This would indicate that Israel’s “repentance” was only superficial.
Judg 11:1–3 Jephthah was a mighty warrior, but his illegitimacy caused his half brothers to force him out of his father’s house. He attracted worthless fellows (v. 3; compare 2 Chron. 13:7), which indicates a weak personal character.
Judg 11:6 Come and be our leader. God did not “raise up” Jephthah, as he had previous judges (3:9, 15; 4:6; 6:14). The people appointed a leader without seeking God’s approval—another sign of their increasing rebellion.
Judg 11:8 that you may go with us and fight. Compare the language later used by the Israelites to ask Samuel for a king: “that our king may . . . go out before us and fight” (1 Sam. 8:20). In both cases, even though God granted it, the request was inappropriate. God, not any judge or any king, was to be Israel’s commander in war.
Judg 11:11 Jephthah spoke all his words before the LORD. Jephthah displayed a strange mixture of faith and foolishness. While he acknowledged God (see vv. 21, 23, 27, 30–31; 12:3), overall his foolishness seemed to outweigh his faith (see note on 11:31).
Judg 11:17–22 The review of the past refers to events in the wilderness described in Num. 20:14–21. All the territory refers to the limits of the Amorites’ land, precisely what the Ammonites claimed was theirs in Judg. 11:13 (compare Num. 21:24).
Judg 11:24 Chemosh was the Moabites’ god (1 Kings 11:7, 33); elsewhere, the Ammonites’ god was Molech (1 Kings 11:7) or Milcom (1 Kings 11:5, 33). However, Ammon and Moab were closely associated, as both were descended from Lot (Gen. 19:37, 38). The two nations likely shared cultural and religious heritages, and Chemosh may have been considered stronger than Molech/Milcom.
Judg 11:12–28 In an impressive speech, Jephthah answered the Ammonite charge (v. 13) that Israel had unlawfully seized the disputed territory. Jephthah asserted that “the LORD, the God of Israel” was himself the one who had displaced these peoples (vv. 21, 23, 24). Israel was not an aggressor (v. 15) but merely a recipient of the Lord’s generosity. Sihon, king of the Amorites, had taken some of the Ammonite territory, and then Israel had taken Sihon’s territory (see Num. 21:25–26). And the Ammonites never really had claim to the land to begin with; rather, it was the land of the Amorites (Judg. 11:19–22). Finally, it was a little late to be challenging Israel’s claim to the land in any case, since 300 years had passed since the events in question (v. 26). Jephthah ended by appealing to God to judge between the two sides.
Judg 11:29 the Spirit of the LORD was upon. See note on 14:6.
Judg 11:31 whatever comes out. The wording here would indicate that Jephthah intended to offer some animal as a burnt offering. However, the grammar also allows for “whoever” (see ESV footnote), in which case Jephthah would have intended to offer a human sacrifice all along. If so, what surprised him was not that he had to sacrifice a person, but that it was his daughter. Human sacrifice was strictly forbidden in Israel (Lev. 18:21; 20:2; Deut. 12:31; Ezek. 20:30–31). Yet, Jephthah’s foolishness drove him to make such a vow (see note on Judg. 11:39).
Judg 11:35 I cannot take back my vow. Vows were solemn affairs, made only to God. People were not forced to take them, but, if they did, they had to be kept, under normal circumstances (Deut. 23:21–23; Eccles. 5:4–5). But any vow that would result in sin was not binding (Lev. 5:4–6). The law did not require Jephthah to follow through with killing his daughter.
Judg 11:39 who did with her according to his vow. Most likely this means Jephthah literally sacrificed his daughter as a burnt offering. Another interpretation is that Jephthah dedicated his daughter to permanent virginity, as a figurative sacrifice (see references to her uniqueness [v. 34] and virginity [vv. 37–40]). This would be a tragedy for her, as she would bear no children, and also for Jephthah, whose family line would come to an end. Some support for this comes from Jephthah’s speech in vv. 12–28, which shows enough knowledge of Israel’s history to imply that he might have stopped short of literally sacrificing his own child.
Fact: Foolish vows
Foolish vows. When Jephthah realized that his foolish vow could result in the death of his daughter (11:29–40), he could have broken the vow. For whatever reason, however, he chose not to break the vow.
Jephthah
Jephthah, one of the judges of Israel, was a mighty warrior from Gilead. Because he was the son of a prostitute, his half brothers rejected him. He fled to another town, where he associated with “worthless fellows” (11:3). This was probably a reflection on his own character as well. When enemies began oppressing the Israelites, they appointed Jephthah as their leader without seeking God’s approval. Before going into battle with the Ammonites, Jephthah made a foolish vow: that if he were victorious, he would sacrifice to the Lord the first thing to emerge from his house upon his return. When he did return victorious, he was greeted at the door by his daughter, his only child. Jephthah followed through on his irresponsible vow, even though the Mosaic law did not require him to do so. (Judges 11:5)
Judg 12:6 Shibboleth . . . Sibboleth. The Gileadites devised a test to catch the Ephraimites using a word that was difficult for outsiders to pronounce correctly. Modern English uses the term “shibboleth” to refer to words, expressions, ideas, or beliefs used by “insiders” to differentiate themselves from “outsiders.” Tragically, Israel is again turning upon itself in internal strife (see 8:17).
Fact: Is it “Shibboleth” or “Sibboleth”?
Is it “Shibboleth” or “Sibboleth”? The Gileadites came up with a clever test to distinguish between their friends and their enemies (12:1–6). Knowing that the rival Ephraimites spoke a slightly different dialect, they asked them to say the word “Shibboleth.” The Ephraimites pronounced the word with an “s” rather than a “sh” sound, thus making them easy to spot. Today, a “shibboleth” is a word or expression of belief that “insiders” use to determine who is an “outsider.” Thus, if a person doesn’t express his beliefs using just the right words, he may be rejected by a particular group.
Judg 10:6–12:7 Jephthah was the eighth judge and, like Jair, was from Gilead. He is the third judge (after Deborah and Gideon) whose story is told in great detail.
Judg 12:1–7 This episode recalls Ephraim’s earlier challenge to Gideon (8:1–3). While Gideon was able to pacify Ephraim, Jephthah was not, and a civil war erupted. The Ephraimites were defeated, and they never again played any important role in Israel’s history.
Judg 12:8–10 Ibzan, the ninth judge, was known for marrying his 30 sons and 30 daughters to outsiders (v. 9).
Judg 12:11–12 Elon was the tenth judge. Nothing is reported about him other than the length of his rule (ten years).
Judg 12:13–15 Abdon, the eleventh judge, was wealthy and had many children.
What do we make of God sending an evil spirit to Abimilech?
Listen NowDive Deeper | Judges 9-12
The first time I read this story, it was easy to judge Jephthah for making a hasty vow. But when I have wanted something from God, how many times have I made bargaining statements like, "God, I swear, if You do what I want You to do, I will _______." Jephthah does the same and apparently sacrifices his only daughter's life.
What is clear when Jephthah makes the vow is that he didn't fully know or trust God. We read right before Jephthah makes the vow that "[t]hen the Spirit of the LORD was upon Jephthah" (Judges 11:29), and God was with him to defeat the Ammonites. But perhaps because Jephthah had been hanging out with "worthless fellows" for so long, it influenced his view of God. He bargained with God—if God gave him the victory, he would sacrifice a burnt offering in return.
God had already promised Israel victory if they kept His laws. Hasty vows weren't needed. God also provided mercy/grace in the Law for people who made hasty vows. Leviticus 5:4-6 tells us: "[I]f anyone utters with his lips a rash oath to do evil or to do good, . . . when he realizes his guilt in any of these and confesses the sin he has committed, he shall bring to the LORD as his compensation for the sin that he has committed, a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement for him for his sin."
So Jephthah could have avoided sacrificing his daughter while still following the Law, but he apparently wasn't "aware" of this provision of the Law, which makes this situation even more tragic. Some commentators argue that Jephthah did not actually sacrifice his daughter. You can read Dr. Tom Constable's notes on the book of Judges, at pp. 153-59, for a helpful summary of the arguments on both sides.
Our God is good, fully able to use anyone, even someone like Jephthah, to accomplish His plans. Yet, like Jephthah, our selfish desires and lack of faith can distort our view of God and His good plans for us. May this story lead us to repent of our selfish ways and have a right view of God, who so lovingly sacrificed His only Son to save us.
This month's memory verse
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
– 1 Samuel 16:7
Discussion Questions
1. Do you live your life for yourself and only come to God when you're in trouble or desire something from Him?
2. Do you fully trust God in your life? Why or why not?
3. In Judges11:35, we read how Jephthah reacts when his daughter is the first person to come out of his house. When things go wrong in your life, whom do you blame? Are you quick to blame others for your misfortune or mistakes rather than drawing a circle around yourself?
4. Jephthah's daughter leaves for two months to mourn what is about to happen. The Bible doesn't tell us what Jephthah did during this time, but what do you do when you're faced with a problem? Whom do you go to for counsel?