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.

JUDGES 11:38KJV
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Judges 11:38 (KJV)

What does Judges 11:38 mean?

Judges 11:38 describes Jephthah granting his daughter’s request to go away for two months with her friends to mourn her virginity in the mountains, after he had made a vow that would affect her future. The verse shows her leaving with her companions to grieve that she would never marry or have children.

Jephthah, a leader of Israel, is speaking to his only daughter after she agreed to fulfill the vow he made to God if he won a battle. The verse highlights the seriousness of Jephthah’s vow and his daughter’s acceptance of its consequences. The focus is on her mourning her virginity—meaning her loss of the chance for marriage and family—rather than her death, and the setting in the mountains with her friends emphasizes the personal and communal sorrow involved.

The Hebrew behind Judges 11:38

  • "bewaile" (בָּכָה, bāḵāh): This word means to weep or mourn deeply. The verse uses it to show the emotional weight of the situation, emphasizing real grief rather than a simple ritual.
  • "virginity" (בְּתוּלִים, bətūlīm): This word refers specifically to her unmarried state. The mourning is not for her life, but for her lost opportunity to marry and have children, which was a significant loss in her culture.
  • "companions" (רֵעֶה, rē‘eh): This word means close friends or associates. The presence of her companions shows that this was not a private sorrow but one shared with others, highlighting the communal aspect of her loss.

Why Judges 11:38 matters

  • This verse clarifies that Jephthah’s daughter mourned her virginity, not her life, which has led to different interpretations about the outcome of Jephthah’s vow.
  • The verse emphasizes the importance of vows and their far-reaching consequences, especially in the context of ancient Israelite society.
  • It connects to the larger story by showing the cost of rash promises and the deep emotional impact such decisions had on families and communities.

Where else these words appear

“companions” Hebrew H7464 · used in 3 verses

  • Judges 11:37 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.
  • Psalms 45:14 She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee.

“virginity” Hebrew H1331 · used in 9 verses

  • Leviticus 21:13 And he shall take a wife in her virginity.
  • Deuteronomy 22:15 Then shall the father of the damsel, and her mother, take and bring forth the tokens of the damsel's virginity unto the elders of the city in the gate:
  • Judges 11:37 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.

“bewailed” Hebrew H1058 · used in 100 verses

  • Genesis 21:16 And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
  • Judges 21:2 And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;
  • Esther 8:3 And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.