At that time the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he went throughout the land of Gilead and Manasseh, including Mizpah in Gilead, and from there he led an army against the Ammonites. And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD. He said, “If you give me victory over the Ammonites, I will give to the LORD whatever comes out of my house to meet me when I return in triumph. I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.”

So Jephthah led his army against the Ammonites, and the LORD gave him victory. He crushed the Ammonites, devastating about twenty towns from Aroer to an area near Minnith and as far away as Abel-keramim. In this way Israel defeated the Ammonites.

When Jephthah returned home to Mizpah, his daughter came out to meet him, playing on a tambourine and dancing for joy. She was his one and only child; he had no other sons or daughters. When he saw her, he tore his clothes in anguish. “Oh, my daughter!” he cried out. “You have completely destroyed me! You’ve brought disaster on me! For I have made a vow to the LORD, and I cannot take it back.”

Judges 11:29-35

So Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob. Soon he had a band of worthless rebels following him.
Judges 11:3

• The cycle continues: Disobedient Choice, Disastrous Consequence, Distress Call, and Deliverance. 
• The people of Gilead needed a deliverer. 
• They did not cry out to God for deliverance; they found a deliverer for themselves. 
• They did what they thought was right in their own eyes. 
• Jepthah was the eighth of Israel’s twelve deliverers. 
• He was the only one that God did not select. 
• The people selected the most violent man they knew. 
• God gave the people what they wanted. 
• God’s grace and mercy was shown through empowering Jepthah to defeat Israel’s enemies. 
• Israel is stuck with a violent and evil man as its leader. 
• Proverbs 14:12
• There is much danger in relying on our own understanding. 
• The account of Jepthah teaches us that failure to know the Word can result in poor or tragic consequences. 
• God’s love, mercy, and grace are greater than our failures. 

As Christians we need to be mindful of our words and actions, to prioritize God's will, and to be compassionate and merciful, even when faced with difficult circumstances.

Know the Word of God and walk in His ways.