Jephthah, a Manassite from Gilead, was born into a wealthy family but was forced into exile by his half-brothers due to his illegitimacy. He lived as a vagabond and soldier of fortune in Tob, east of Syria, gaining a reputation as a brave and brilliant military commander. When Ammon raided Israel, particularly Gilead, the elders sought his help, offering him command of their armies. Jephthah refused unless he was also made head of Gilead, a demand the elders accepted under pressure. He then recruited an army and attempted to negotiate peace with Ammon, but his efforts were rebuffed. As he marched against Ammon, Jephthah made a vow to God, promising that whatever came out of his house to meet him upon his return would be dedicated to the Lord or offered as a burnt offering. God evidently heard, and Jephthah achieved a complete victory over Ammon. Upon returning to Mizpah, his home, he was greeted with celebration, but his joy turned to grief when his only child, a daughter, was the first to meet him. After explaining his vow, his daughter agreed he must keep it, requesting only two months to mourn her virginity. When the time was over, Jephthah fulfilled his vow, and her sacrifice was commemorated yearly by the women of Israel. Jephthah's character reveals a man of patience and consideration, not impetuousness. He negotiated for greater power before accepting command, carefully prepared his army, and sought peace before battle. His vow, made during the march rather than in the heat of battle, was likely well thought out. The vow's wording suggests a dual intent: to dedicate a person to God or offer an animal as a burnt offering, aligning with his understanding of the law and aversion to human sacrifice, which was detestable to God and abhorrent to the people of Gilead. The term "burnt offering" itself implies total surrender or consumption, not necessarily death by fire, supporting the possibility that his daughter was dedicated to God as a lifelong Nazirite. The grief surrounding the event stemmed from cultural values in Israel, where barrenness and spinsterhood caused great distress. Jephthah's daughter mourned her virginity, not her death, knowing she would live as a virgin and end her father's lineage, as she was his only child. The text emphasizes she lived without knowing a man, and her sacrifice was praised by the maidens of Israel for giving up the cherished role of motherhood. Jephthah's actions carried divine approval, as God would not have sanctioned human sacrifice, and the annual commemoration by the women of Israel further suggests God's pleasure in the outcome.