Who was Jephthah?

Answer

Jephthah served as a judge over Israel for six years after Jair’s leadership. His story is documented in Judges 11:1—12:7.

Initially, Jephthah was a Gileadite but was born to a prostitute. Despite being a mighty warrior «Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, and he was the son of a harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah. », (Judges 11:1), he was cast out from his family as an adult due to being seen as an illegitimate child. Verse 3 mentions that he relocated to the land of Tob and dwelt among “a gang of scoundrels.”

Subsequently, the Ammonites waged war against Israel. The Israelites summoned Jephthah for assistance. The elders of Gilead promised to make Jephthah their leader if he aided them in defeating their foe. Jephthah agreed to their terms and then dispatched a message to the Ammonite king in an effort to prevent conflict.

The Ammonite king rebuffed Jephthah’s message, leading to an unavoidable war. Jephthah made a vow to God, declaring, “If you deliver the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return victorious from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s, and I will offer it as a burnt offering” (Judges 11:30-31). Jephthah then vanquished the Ammonites and returned to Mizpah (Judges 11:32-34).

Upon reaching home, Jephthah’s daughter, his only child, was the first to greet him «And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter. », (Judges 11:34). Jephthah fulfilled his vow to God, but the outcome was tragic.

Recently, a man unexpectedly expected an animal to exit, but this surprising event caused him to tear his clothes in mourning. When he informed his daughter of his vow, she accepted the consequences surprisingly, only requesting two months to mourn beforehand (Judges 11:37-38). This incident was so well-known among the Israelites that it became a tradition for the daughters of Israel to mourn the event each year for four days.

After Jephthah’s actions to defeat the Ammonites, the people of Ephraim were angry with him for attacking without their assistance. They threatened to burn his house over him with fire «And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire. », (Judges 12:1). This led to a battle between the tribes of Ephraim and Gilead. Gilead emerged victorious, killing 42,000 Ephraimites «then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand. », (Judges 12:6).

What lessons can be learned from Jephthah? Firstly, God can use us regardless of our background. We cannot alter where we came from, yet God can utilize us in significant ways despite our past. Secondly, we should not make hasty commitments or promises to God. In Jephthah’s case, he lost his only child due to such an action. Thirdly, even when we do the right thing, we may have to endure hardship from others. Jephthah certainly had to endure trouble from the people of Ephraim despite being empowered by God’s Spirit to liberate Gilead from the Ammonites.