Outline of Jephthah s Vow: Vile or Virtuous by Tim Binder 1. Introduction a. Human commentators vs Scripture i. Jephthah s vow is largely considered either rash or heathen by human commentators. ii. Scripture considers Jephthah a courageous and faithful judge and lacks any disapproval of his vow. b. The vow demonstrates uncompromising obedience respective of cost. 2. Setting a. Historical Date: ~1106 BC i. Dating method 1. 480 years after Exodus was 4th year of Solomon s reign (1 Kings 6:1). 2. Solomon s reigned from 970 to 931 BC [can be accurately determined] 3. Places Exodus at 970-4 + 480 = 1446 BC. 4. Exodus - 40 years in wilderness = 1406 BC 5. 1406 BC - 300 years of occupation (Judge 11:36) = 1106 BC ii. Near birth of Samuel, ~50 years before reign of King Saul. b. Near end of judge rule marked by cycle of apostasy, oppression, sorrow, and deliverance. c. Follows faithful Gideon, his wicked son Abimelech, and the rule of Tola and Jair. d. Israel has prostituted herself with all the surrounding gods, and has been sold into the hands of the Philistines and the Ammonites. e. God tells them to cry to their gods, but becomes impatient with their misery. 3. Jephthah a. Gileadite, like Gideon he is a valiant warrior (11:1). b. Son of a prostitute, thrown out by brothers. c. Fled and lived in Tob with gang of worthless fellows. d. Victory over Ammonites. i. Asked to be chief by desperate Israelites ii. Recognizes deliverance would be a gift of Yahweh. iii. Accepts challenge 1. Begins with diplomacy a. Recounts historical record with Ammonites. b. States that land was gift of Yahweh. 2. Ammonites choose war. iv. Two critical events follow 1. Spirit of Yahweh comes up Jephthah. 2. Jephthah makes his vow with Yahweh. v. Jephthah is victorious over Ammonites vi. Jephthah is victorious over fellow Israelites (42,000 from Ephraim) e. Judge for only 6 years, but amount of biblical text makes him one of the four main judges (with Barak, Gideon, and Samson); Recorded in hall of faith
Hebrews 11. i. Most wholehearted in allegiance to Yahweh. ii. No recorded sin.
4. The Text a. The Coming of the Spirit (11:29) i. Spirit was to empower for victory. 1. Judges were raised to deliver (2:16) 2. Spirit on Othniel (3:10). ii. Coming of Spirit is before vow (as opposed to just before battle) iii. Purpose of Spirit: control 1. Takes control of Balaam s speech (Numbers 24) 2. Saul prophesied (1 Sam 10:10) 3. Messengers from Saul to David prophesy (1 Sam 19:20-24) 4. Prophets (2 Chron 15:1; 2 Chron 24:21) 5. Samson slays lion (Judges 14:6); Philistines (14:19); breaks ropes (15:14). 6. Counter-examples a. Gideon clothed with Spirit yet doubts (Judges 6:34-40) b. Saul sins prior to removal of Spirit c. Spirit upon David (1 Sam 16:13); David s confession asks God not to remove Spirit (Psalm 51) b. The Commitment of the Vow (11:30,31) i. Climax of Narrative: overshadows victory ii. Importance of Vow 1. Scripture never implies vow is improper 2. Hebrew 11 characters do not fail at climatic events iii. Vow as cry for help: need for divine help (not bargain) 1. Jacob (Gen 28:20-22) 2. Hannah (1 Sam 1:11) 3. Pay vows uttered while in distress (Psalm 66:13,14) iv. Statement of Trust 1. Jephthah not a fatalist: sees God as one who drives out nations before Israel 2. Let s Yahweh choose His price: God dictates events v. The Vow 1. Petition: If you will give the Ammonites into my hand... a. Victory is not assured 2. Promise: whatever comes out shall be the Lord s, and I will offer it/him up for a burnt offering a. What creature contemplated? i. Small animal: house accommodated livestock 1. Many commentators reject as too trivial a price ii. Person b. What action contemplated? i. Hinges on conjunction ( vau in Hebrew) ii. and not to be favored
1. Not in accord with revealed character of Jephthah (despite how he is painted by commentators) 2. Israel not in spiritually down part of Judges cycle; Judges are not part of Israel s pagan rejection of Yahweh 3. Yahweh abhors human sacrifice (Duet 12:31; 2 Kings 16:3; Jer 32:35; Psalm 106:34-39) 4. Yahweh s silence is deafening if human sacrifice is in mind. iii. disjunction or (see Moore and Wood citation) harmonizes with context and Scripture at large 1. Provides for two possible outcomes: a. greeter is Yahweh s, or b. greeter is to be offered up as burnt sacrifice. 2. Leaves broad latitude in Yahweh s determination of the cost. 3. Jephthah is not rash as seen with his diplomacy with Ammon and Ephraim and allowance for his daughter to bewail her virginity. c. The Fulfillment of God s Portion (11:32,33) i. Yahweh is pleased to honor the vow and gives him a decisive victory. d. The Costliness of Jephthah s Promise (11:34) i. To the reader s surprise, Jephthah s daughter, his only child, came out to meet him. 1. She is singing with tambourines. 2. It should have been a time of great rejoicing. ii. The price of the vow is as high as can be -- Jephthah now gives a parent s must precious earthly gift. 1. Matt 10:37 He who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me e. The Faithfulness of the Jephthah s Heart (11:35) i. The cost of the vow staggers Jephthah -- the pain is great for he loves his daughter. ii. The right choice 1. Instead of breaking the vow, his heart is loyal to Yahweh. 2. As Abraham did, and Hannah will, his actions follow his faith (James 2:21). a. God Himself did not spare His own Son, but offered Him up for us all (Rom 8:32) b. Contrast with contemporary Eli who honors his sons above God (1 Sam 2:29,30). 3. Vows to God must be kept (Deut 23:21; Psalm 76:11; Psalm 15:2-4); no applicable provision for avoiding vow in this case [?] (see Laws about Vows, Lev 27) iii. Jephthah become premier figure for fulfilling a vow at severe cost. 1. Unwavering faith exceeds Barak, Gideon, and Samson.
5. A Type of Christ a. Outcast, rejected by his brothers, yet becomes ruler of his people. b. Gathers worthless men (Jeph) publicans and sinners (Christ). c. Attempts to make peace with enemies. d. A man of sorrow. e. Brief earthly ministry. f. Total surrender to God at highest hour of need.