King James Version

What Does Judges 11:36 Mean?

“And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon.”

Context

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. beside: or, he had not of his own either son or daughter: Heb. of himself

And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back.

And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon.

And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows . go up: Heb. go and go down

And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains.

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Commentary

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(36) **And she said unto him.**—To explain this the LXX. add the words, “I have opened my mouth to the Lord *against *or *concerning *thee.” There is, however, no need for the addition. His words would fatally explain themselves, even if he added nothing more. **If thou hast opened thy mouth unto the Lord.**—The needless and incorrect insertion of the *if *in the English Version a little weakens the noble heroism of her answer. **Do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth.**—While Jephthah, living in times of ignorance which “God winked at,” must not be judged for that terrible ignorance of God’s nature which led him to offer a sacrifice which, as Josephus says, was “neither lawful nor acceptable to God,” we may well rejoice in the gleam of sunlight which is flung upon the sacred page by his faithfulness in not going back from his vow, though it were to his own hurt (Psalm 15:4), and in the beautiful devotion of his daughter, cheerfully acquiescing in her own sacrifice for the good of her country. Compare the examples of Iphigenia; of Macaria (Pausan. i. 32); of Au-churus, the son of Midas; of Curtius; of the Decii; of Marius offering his daughter for victory over the Cimbri; and of the Romans during more than one national panic. Our modern poets have happily seized this aspect of the event (see Dante, *Parad. *v. 66)*:—* “Though the virgins of Salem lament, Be the judge and the hero unbent; I have won the great battle for thee, And my father and country are free.”—*Byron.* “When the next moon was rolled into the sky, Strength came to me that equall’d my desire. How beautiful a thing it was to die For God and for my sire! *“—Tennyson.* “It was not a human sacrifice in the gross sense of the word, not a slaughter of an unwilling victim, but the willing offering of a devoted heart, to free, as she supposed, her father and her country from a terrible obligation . . . The heroism of father and daughter are to be admired and loved in the midst of the fierce superstition round which it plays like a sunbeam on a stormy sea.”

Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Judges. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Judges 11:36 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.