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There was a man in Gilead named
Jephthah; he was very brave and warlike; but his brothers did not love
him, and they sent him away, and would not let him live with them.
Some years after, the Ammonites came and fought against Israel. Then
the men of Gilead were very much frightened, and they sent for Jephthah,
to help them to conquer their enemies. How very selfish these
Gileadites were! When they were in peace and safety, they could be
unkind to their brother; but now, when they were in danger and sorrow,
they wished to have him to help them, and spoke kindly to him.
Brotherly love, which the Bible teaches us, is always kind.
We ought to love our friends, not because they are useful to us, but
because God says, "Be ye kind one to another."
When Jephthah heard what the
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
Gileadites promised to make Jephthah their captain, if he would come and
fight for them. So Jephthah forgave their past unkindness, and went
to them.
The Ammonites were very wicked
people. They had always been enemies to Israel, and God commanded
that they should be destroyed, and He promised to give their possessions
to the Israelites. Jephthah sent to the Ammonites, and told them
this; but they would not attend. 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
conquered, 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 saw him coming, she ran out to meet him, dancing and singing for
joy. Was Jephtah 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
merciful 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 Jephthah 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
obedient, 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 obedience and devotedness to God. He does not wish us to be
sacrificed, nor to live alone, far away from our friends and homes; God
does not wish all this; but he wants our hearts, our love; He wants us to
obey His will, and to be ready to live or die as He pleases.
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