Observations:
(1) Jephthah was a special leader because he was both a brave warrior and the son of a prostitute. He was kicked out of his own family v.1-3. In other words, there were unpleasant experiences between the Gilead people and Jephthah.v.7 “But you hated me and made me leave my father’s house. Why do you come to me now, when you are in trouble?”
The leaders probably had no other choice and therefore they had to revoke their decision. It hinted that God did not give them a lot of choices.
10:17 The Ammonites assembled and camped in Gilead; the Israelites gathered together and camped in Mizpah. 10:18 The leaders of Gilead said to one another, “Who is willing to lead the charge against the Ammonites? He will become the leader of all who live in Gilead!”
(2) Jephthah used the diplomatic way to serve the issue before he went to war v.12. He replied back to the Ammonite king that Israel did not steal their land v.15. He backed up his argument with the history of their exodus v.16. From that history, Israel always tried to resolve the issue by diplomatic way first v. 17a, b, v.19.
That became a good example of how to resolve the conflict.
(3) Jephthan made a conclusion regarding that piece of land that the Ammonite king wanted.
v.13 Since the LORD God of Israel has driven out the Amorites before his people Israel, do you think you can just take it from them?11:24 You have the right to take what Chemosh your god gives you, but we will take the land of all whom the LORD our God has driven out before us.
He repeated twice that the LORD God of Israel has driven out the Amorites. Therefore, that piece of land belonged to Israel. Ammonite has no right to it.
(4) 11:29 The LORD’s spirit empowered Jephthah.
God chose him to be the leader to war against Ammonite perhaps because he had the right perspective about the ownership of their land. However, even with the empowered of the LORD Jephthah still made a vow to the LORD v.30. It was that vow that brought hardship to both Jephthah and his daughter.
11:30 Jephthah made a vow to the LORD, saying, “If you really do hand the Ammonites over to me, 11:31 then whoever is the first to come through the doors of my house to meet me when I return safely from fighting the Ammonites—he will belong to the LORD and I will offer him up as a burnt sacrifice.”
a. Why did he make that vow?
(BKC) That Jephthah made a vow to the LORD was not unusual in the Mosaic dispensation. Jephthah may have made the vow in anticipation of thanksgiving for divinely provided victory over the Ammonites. While the vow showed Jephthah’s zeal and earnestness, many have thought it was also characterized by rashness.
b. What did he offer in the vow? It could mean either human sacrifice or the lifelong celibacy.
[and v.31] (NET) the Hebrew construction (vav [ו] + perfect) specifies how the subject will become the LORD’s, that is, by being offered up as a sacrifice.
No matter which meaning is true about the vow it is true that this military victory came with a sad ending.
v.39b Her tragic death gave rise to a custom in Israel.11:40 Every year Israelite women commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite for four days.
Reflections: On one hand, Jephath and the rest of the Israelites knew about their history and they knew that the LORD is their God. He fought for them and they belonged to Him. On the other hand, they kept other idols and worshipped them as well. This is a heart of idolatry.
Do we have a heart of idolatry? Do we worship God plus something else? Is our heart pure to God? Are we willing to lay down our other pursuit because we are satisfied by God?
In the case of Gideon. After he fought the war and saved Israel, he then brought them to worship the golden ephod. Now, the vow of Jephath brought them the tragic death of his daughter. The leader of Israel did not lead them in the right direction. Perhaps it was an evidence that they had been influenced more and more by the pagans and therefore they made those kinds of decisions.
Are we a good leader to others? Do we see that we are responsible to the people we lead? Our words, and our decisions make impacts to people around us. Can we be sure that our hearts are pure to God and therefore we could make the right decision to lead?
Audrey
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