And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,

JUDGES 11:30KJV
Know the Bible

Judges 11:30 (KJV)

What does Judges 11:30 mean?

Judges 11:30 describes Jephthah making a solemn promise to the LORD, saying that if God will certainly give him victory over the Ammonites, Jephthah will fulfill a vow in return. This verse shows Jephthah seeking divine help through a conditional vow before going into battle.

Jephthah, a leader of Israel, is speaking directly to the LORD (the personal name for God in the Hebrew Bible) as he prepares to face the children of Ammon, who are threatening Israel. The verse highlights the seriousness of Jephthah’s commitment by using the language of a formal vow, which in ancient Israelite culture was a binding promise made to God. This sets the stage for the events that follow, showing Jephthah’s reliance on God’s intervention and the weight he places on his words.

The Hebrew behind Judges 11:30

  • "vowed" (נָדַר, nādar) and "vow" (נֶדֶר, neder): Both words emphasize that Jephthah is making a formal, sacred promise, not just a casual statement. In ancient Israel, a neder was a serious commitment that could not be broken without consequences.
  • "LORD" (יְהוָה, YHWH): This is the personal name of God in the Hebrew Bible, showing that Jephthah addresses his vow to the God of Israel, not a generic deity.
  • "deliver" (נָתַן, natan): This word is often understood as "to give" or "to hand over." Jephthah is asking God to actively give the Ammonites into his control, showing dependence on divine action rather than just military strength.

Why Judges 11:30 matters

  • This verse clarifies that Jephthah’s vow is not a negotiation or a bargain, but a binding promise rooted in the religious practices of his time, which helps explain the seriousness of what follows in the story.
  • The emphasis on Jephthah’s direct appeal to the LORD highlights the personal relationship and trust he places in God, which is a recurring theme in the book of Judges.
  • Understanding the formal nature of the vow helps readers grasp why the outcome of Jephthah’s promise becomes such a significant and tragic moment later in the chapter.

Where else these words appear

“Jephthah” Hebrew H3316 · used in 26 verses

  • Joshua 15:43 And Jiphtah, and Ashnah, and Nezib,
  • Judges 11:9 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before me, shall I be your head?
  • Judges 11:29 Then the Spirit of the LORD 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.

“vowed” Hebrew H5087 · used in 28 verses

  • Genesis 28:20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,
  • Deuteronomy 12:11 Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD:
  • Psalms 76:11 Vow, and pay unto the LORD your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.

“vow” Hebrew H5088 · used in 57 verses

  • Genesis 28:20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,
  • Numbers 30:5 But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand: and the LORD shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her.
  • 2 Samuel 15:8 For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the LORD shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.

“Ammon” Hebrew H5983 · used in 98 verses

  • Genesis 19:38 And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.
  • Judges 12:1 And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire.
  • 1 Chronicles 19:11 And the rest of the people he delivered unto the hand of Abishai his brother, and they set themselves in array against the children of Ammon.