What is the meaning of Judges 11:37? She also said to her father Jephthah’s daughter responds directly to the one who made the vow. Her words reveal several things: • Respectful submission—she honors her father even in a tragic moment, echoing the spirit of Exodus 20:12, “Honor your father and your mother.” • Faith that God’s will is just—her calm tone resembles Samuel’s “Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10). • Acceptance of the vow’s binding nature—Numbers 30:2 states that a vow to the LORD “must not break his word.” She recognizes that the vow, however painful, stands. Let me do this one thing She asks permission rather than demanding, showing humility. Compare Abigail’s plea to David—“Let your servant speak to you; hear what your servant has to say” (1 Samuel 25:24). Both women trust God’s sovereignty yet still appeal for a measured response. Her request is singular: one last, limited mercy before the vow is fulfilled. Let me wander for two months The time frame is precise, suggesting purposeful preparation rather than mere delay. Two months allows for: • Emotional processing—like Hezekiah who turned his face to the wall and wept bitterly when told of impending death (2 Kings 20:1-3). • Community awareness—similar to Israel’s mourning thirty days for Moses (Deuteronomy 34:8). • Practical arrangements—ensuring everything is in order before the vow is carried out. through the mountains with my friends The setting and companions matter: • Mountains signify separation from daily life—Moses met God on Sinai (Exodus 19:3). Here the mountains give privacy for grief. • Friends provide comfort—Job’s companions sat with him in silence seven days (Job 2:11-13). Shared lament turns solitary sorrow into communal support, reflecting Romans 12:15, “weep with those who weep.” and mourn my virginity Her concern is not death alone but dying childless: • In Israel, lineage and inheritance were covenant blessings (Genesis 17:7-8). To leave no descendants meant her family line ended. • Virginity signified unfulfilled marriage hopes—compare Psalm 113:9, where the LORD makes the barren woman “a joyful mother of children.” • Perpetual virginity also fits the view that Jephthah dedicated her to lifelong service rather than literal sacrifice. Judges 11:39 adds, “She had no relations with a man,” underscoring that her sorrow centers on lost motherhood. summary Judges 11:37 captures a young woman’s faithful, measured response to an irrevocable vow. With respect for her father and trust in the LORD, she requests two months to grieve in the mountains with supportive friends, focusing her lament on the end of her lineage. Her words underscore the weight of vows, the value of community in sorrow, and the deep biblical longing for covenant legacy. |
    |