Jephthah's Sacrifice

The warrior Jephthah was a son of Gilead. His mother was a prostitute; this was deemed quite bad. The brothers did not consider Jephthah family. None of Gilead’s inheritance was he to see. To the land of Tob, Jephthah and followers would flee. Some years later, Israel was involved in some fights. They were encroached upon by neighboring Ammonites. Elders summoned Jephthah to lead the Israelites. This is how he responded to the Gileadites: “Now that you are in trouble, you are calling me back. You want me to lead to stem the enemy’s attack. If you let me return, will you make me Head of State? If I defeat your enemies at a future date?” The elders of the Gileadites answered this way: “As the Lord is our witness, we will do as you say. Lead us in our stand to drive the enemy away”. Therefore, the new leader of the people was Jephthah. He repeated his words before the Lord in Mizpah. It was here the Lord came to appear before Jephthah. He made this vow with God after passing Manasseh: “My Lord God, if You deliver Ammon to my hands, I will make a burnt offering to all your demands. Whatever passes through the front door of my dwelling shall be offered to You for the victory you bring.” Jephthah overwhelmed twenty towns of the enemy. Ammon would be defeated for a great victory. However, Jephthah’s return proved not to be so sweet. Here came his only daughter out of the house to greet. “Oh my daughter, I have made a pact I cannot break. My only child, it is your life that I must forsake!” She replied, “My father, I know it is the Lord’s will. I am here for the obligation you must fulfill. However, grant me this request before my life ends, allow me to weep in the hills with some of my friends.” For two months, Jephthah’s daughter and friends would go away. This became a custom among girls up to this day. From the Book of Judges in the Old Testament