God-fearing Integrity: Jephthah and His Daughter

Jephthah (pronounced Yef-talk), a mighty man of valor, was disowned by his half-brothers because his mother was a prostitute. However, when they were in trouble, they came back around to ask for his help. Jephthah asked God for a successful battle and vowed to God to sacrifice whatever walked through his door after his successful battle.

[30] And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the Lord , and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, [31] Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord’s , and I will offer it up for a burnt offering. – Judges 11:30-31 KJV

So he returned from a successful battle and his only daughter walked through his door. It broke his heart, but he kept his vow and sacrificed her on an altar and she willingly agreed so he could keep his vow to God.

[34] 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. [35] 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. [36] 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. [37] 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. [38] 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. [39] And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel, [40] That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year. – Judges 11:34-40 KJV

Not many people have that kind of integrity where they would keep their vow when it hurts them. Yet, Jephthah and his daughter were just that godly. Not many understand that this is fearing God. Thus, it’s better not to make vows to God you cannot pay—if You do this, I’ll do this— because you do not know what it could mean.

5] Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. [6] Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands? [7] For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God. – Ecclesiastes 5:5-7 KJV

This is why marriage vows (promising to love, care, and honor your spouse until death before God) and baptism vows (to make Jesus the “Lord of your life”) are important to keep.