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messengers said, he answered, “ Did
you not hate me, and send me away ;
why do you come to me now when
you are in trouble?” But the Gil-
eadites promised to make Jephthah
their captain, if he would come and
fight for them. So Jephthah for-
gave their past unkindness, and
went to them.

The Ammonites were very wicked
people.. They had always been ene-
mies to Israel, and God commanded
that they should be destroyed, and
He promised to give their posses-
sions to the Israelites. Jephthah
sent to the Ammonites, and told
them this; but they would not at-
tend. Then Jephthah made ready
to fight against them. But before
he went to the battle, he asked God’s
help, and made a promise to God,
and said, “If thou wilt give me the
victory, then the first thing I meet
at the door of my house, when I
return in peace, shall be the Lord’s ;
and I will offer it up for a burnt
offering.” Jephthah was right to
ask God’s help; but he made his
vow too hastily, without thinking
if it were wise to make it, or
not.

The Ammonites were soon con-
quered, and very many of them
killed, because God fought for the
Israelites; and when the battle
was ended, Jephthah went home
again to Mizpeh. Jephthah had
one child, a daughter; he had no
more children, and she was very
dear to him. This daughter loved
her father very much. And when
she heard of the victory, she
thought she should soon see her
dear father again. So she waited
and looked for him, and when she
caw him coming, she ran out to

 

JEPHTHAH.

meet him, dancing and singing for
joy. Was Jephthah glad to see
her? No, he was very sorry; he
rent his clothes, and cried, “O my
daughter, thou troublest me; for I
have made a promise to the Lord,
and I cannot break my vow.” But
his daughter said, “My father, do
not weep; if thou hast made a vow
to the Lord, do to me as thou hast
promised. God has been very mer-
ciful to us, and I am ready and
willing to bear all thou hast vowed
to do.”

Jephthah thought now of his
foolish vow, and was sorry that
he had made it. He must give up
his dear daughter, and never see her
again! But first she asked to go
upon the mountains, and to mourn
there with her friends. Her father
let her go; and, after two months,
she came home again, and Jeph-
thah did with her as he had vowed.

What did he do? The Bible
does not say. Perhaps he killed
her in sacrifice; perhaps he sent
her far away, alone, where she could
spend all her time in the service of
God. Jephthah was right to be so
thankful to God; he was right to
love God better than all the world,
better even than his dear child;
but if he sacrificed his daughter,
Jephthah did wrong. God does
not want such sacrifices; He only
wants praise, and thankfulness, and
love.

Jephthah’s daughter was an obe-
dient, affectionate child; she was
willing to be given up to God: to
die or to live, as her father pleased.
We should try to be like her in obe-
dience and devotedness to God. He
does not wish us to be sacrificed,
nor to live alone, far away from our