Matthew Henry Commentary Judges 11:29-40

"Then the Spirit of Jehovah came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon. And Jephthah vowed a vow unto Jehovah, and said, If thou wilt indeed deliver the children of Ammon into my hand, then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth from the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, it shall be Jehovah`s, and I will offer it up for a burnt-offering. So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and Jehovah delivered them into his hand. And he smote them from Aroer until thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto Abelcheramim, with a very great slaughter. So the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel. And Jephthah came to Mizpah unto his house; and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; besides her he had neither son nor daughter. 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 Jehovah, and I cannot go back. And she said unto him, My father, thou hast opened thy mouth unto Jehovah; do unto me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth, forasmuch as Jehovah hath taken vengeance for thee on thine enemies, even on 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 depart and go down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my companions. And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she departed, she and her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains. 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 not man. And it was a custom in Israel, that the daughters of Israel went yearly to celebrate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year." — Judges 11:29-40 (ASV)

Several important lessons are to be learned from Jephthah's vow.

1. There may be remnants of distrust and doubt, even in the hearts of true and great believers.
2. Our vows to God should not be as a purchase of the favor we desire, but to express gratitude to him.
3. We need to be very well-advised in making vows, so that we do not entangle ourselves.
4. What we have solemnly vowed to God, we must perform, if it is possible and lawful, even though it is difficult and grievous to us.
5. It is fitting for children to obediently and cheerfully submit to their parents in the Lord.

It is hard to say what Jephthah did to fulfill his vow, but it is thought that he did not offer his daughter as a burnt offering. Such a sacrifice would have been an abomination to the Lord; it is supposed she was obliged to remain unmarried and apart from her family.

Concerning this and other such passages in sacred history, about which scholars are divided and in doubt, we need not perplex ourselves. What is necessary for our salvation, thanks be to God, is clear enough.

If the reader recalls the promise of Christ concerning the teaching of the Holy Spirit, and places themselves under this heavenly Teacher, the Holy Spirit will guide them to all truth in every passage, as far as it is necessary to understand.