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Judges 11:34

JephthahMizpah
Parents and childrenGrief

32 So Jephthah crossed over to the Ammonites to fight against them, and the LORD delivered them into his hand.

33 With a great blow he devastated twenty cities from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith, as far as Abel-keramim. So the Ammonites were subdued before the Israelites.

And when Jephthah returned home to Mizpah, there was his daughter coming out to meet him with tambourines and dancing! She was his only child; he had no son or daughter besides her.

35 As soon as Jephthah saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “No! Not my daughter! You have brought me to my knees! You have brought great misery upon me, for I have given my word to the LORD and cannot take it back.”

36 “My father,” she replied, “you have given your word to the LORD. Do to me as you have said, for the LORD has avenged you of your enemies, the Ammonites.”

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Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
And when Jephthah returned home to Mizpah, there was his daughter coming out to meet him with tambourines and dancing! She was his only child; he had no son or daughter besides her.
KJV
And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.
WEB
Jephthah came to Mizpah to his house; and behold, his daughter came out to meet him with tambourines and with dances. She was his only child. Besides her he had neither son nor daughter.
ASV
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.
DARBY
And Jephthah came to Mizpah to his house, and behold, his daughter came out to meet him with tambours and with dances; and she was an only child: besides her he had neither son nor daughter.
BLB
And Jephthah came to his house at Mizpah, and there was his daughter coming out to meet him with timbrels and dancing. And she [was] [his] only child; none [were] unto him besides her, son or daughter.
ÅB
Da Jefta kom hjem til sitt hus i Mispa, da gikk hans datter ut imot ham med trommer og dans; hun var hans eneste barn, foruten henne hadde han hverken sønn eller datter.
OTB
Da Jefta vendte tilbake til sitt hjem i Mispa, kom hans datter ut for å møte ham med tamburiner og dans. Hun var hans eneste barn; foruten henne hadde han verken sønn eller datter.
B1930
Da Jefta kom hjem til sitt hus i Mispa, da gikk hans datter ut imot ham med trommer og dans; hun var hans eneste barn, foruten henne hadde han hverken sønn eller datter.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Jeremiah 31:4

    Again I will build you, and you will be rebuilt, O Virgin Israel. Again you will take up your tambourines and go out in joyful dancing.

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  • Exodus 15:20

    Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing.

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  • Judges 11:11

    So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him their leader and commander. And Jephthah repeated all his terms in the presence of the LORD at Mizpah.

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  • Judges 10:17

    Then the Ammonites were called to arms and camped in Gilead, and the Israelites assembled and camped at Mizpah.

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  • Psalms 150:4

    Praise Him with tambourine and dancing; praise Him with strings and flute.

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  • Psalms 68:25

    The singers lead the way, the musicians follow after, among the maidens playing tambourines.

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  • Luke 7:12

    As He approached the town gate, He saw a dead man being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her.

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  • Zechariah 12:10

    Then I will pour out on the house of David and on the people of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and prayer, and they will look on Me, the One they have pierced. They will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son.

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