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29 And the Spirit of YHWH came upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh, and he passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he passed through to the sons of Ammon. 30 And Jephthah made a vow to YHWH, and said, “If You fully deliver the sons of Ammon into my hands, 31 Then it shall come to pass that whatever comes forth from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the sons of Ammon, it will be unto YHWH, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.” 32 And Jephthah passed over toward the sons of Ammon to fight against them, and YHWH delivered them into his hand. 33 And he defeated them from Aroer and as far as the entrance to Minnith, twenty cities, and to Abel-keramim. And with a very great slaughter the sons of Ammon were subdued before the sons of Israel. 34 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. 35 And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he tore his clothes and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have caused me greatly to bow, and you are among those who trouble me. For I have given my word to YHWH, and I cannot turn back.” 36 And she said to him, “My father, if you have given your word to YHWH, do to me according to what has gone out of your mouth, after that YHWH has done for you vengeance on your enemies, the sons of Ammon.” 37 And she said to her father, “Let this thing be done for me. Leave me alone for two months, that I may go and wander on the mountains and mourn for my virginity, I and my friends.” 38 And he said, “Go.” And he sent her away for two months. And she went, and her friends, and wept for her virginity on the mountains. 39 And it was at the end of two months that she returned to her father, and he carried out with her his vow that he had vowed. And she knew not a man. And it became a custom in Israel 40 that from time to time the daughters of Israel went to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite, four days in the year. Judges 11:29-40, Berean Literal Bible. Public domain.
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