1. Fulfilling a foolish vow (11:34-40)

a) Victory was turned to great sadness when Jephthah’s daughter, his only child, was the first to come out of his
house to celebrate his great victory. He remembered His vow to the Lord. She agreed to cooperate, but requested
two months of weeping in the mountains with her friends.

b) He did not offer her as a burnt offering: Law- Lev. 20:2f, Deut. 12:29f; priests at the tabernacle would not
comply, not until Kings Ahaz & Manasseh did such evil happen in Israel, but devoted her to the Lord’s service at
the tabernacle (Ex. 38:8) as a perpetual virgin. They grieved over her virginity (v37) & v39 “he did to her
according to/vow…she had no relations with a man.” This vow ended his line.

2. Civil War/Brother against brother (12:1-7)

a) The proud, jealous tribe of Ephraim crossed the Jordan & rebuke Jephthah for not calling them to fight against
Ammon. They threatened to burn down his house.

b) Jephthah countered he did call them & they did not come. He took his life in his own hand to fight Ammon and
“the Lord gave them” into his hand.

c) Civil war: Ephraim called the Gileadites (Manasseh) fugitives in the midst of the two brother tribes.

d) Jephthah’s troops were victorious killing 42,000 Ephramites. They took the fords (7:24) using a pronunciation
difference as a test. Jephthath judged Israel for 6 years. Fighting among God’s people weakens us.