Scripture Passage
Scripture Focus
And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD. (Judges 11:30 NLT)
Observation
If you take it as it reads, it’s one of the saddest pages in Scripture.
Jephthah, in a moment of unguarded zeal, made a brash vow as he led Israel into battle against the Ammonites. He made this vow to the Lord…
“If you give me victory over the Ammonites, I will give to the LORD whatever comes out of my house to meet me when I return in triumph. I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.” (Judges 11:30-31 NLT)
Verse 34 tells the outcome:
When Jephthah returned home to Mizpah, his daughter came out to meet him, playing on a tambourine and dancing for joy. She was his one and only child; he had no other sons or daughters. (Judges 11:34 NLT)
Scholars argue over whether or not Jephthah actually sacrificed his own daughter because of his vow—I’m sorry to say that I’m inclined to believe that he did. Some scholars soften the horror of the passage by arguing that Jephthah ultimately only prevented his daughter from marrying (and thus, having children), which would have been a terrible disgrace in Jewish culture.
It was a foolish vow Jephthah made, and one that should not have been carried out either way. In it all, one lesson is clear: What you say matters, and should be considered carefully before you actually speak it! The Bible has so much to say in this regard. “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (James 1:19 NIV). “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29 NIV). On a more positive note, “A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver” (Proverbs 25:11 NIV).
It’s a wise person who thinks before—and more than—he or she speaks.
Even a fool is thought wise
if he keeps silent,
and discerning
if he holds his tongue.
(Proverbs 17:28 NIV)
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