Berean Standard Bible
Judges 11:31
31then whatever comes out the door of my house to greet me on my triumphant return from the Ammonites will belong to the LORD, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.”
Judges 11:31 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.
- New International Version (NIV)whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)then whatever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites shall be the Lord's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering."
- New King James Version (NKJV)then it will be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the people of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.”
Context of Judges 11:31
29Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh, then through Mizpah of Gilead. And from there he advanced against the Ammonites. 30Jephthah made this vow to the LORD: “If indeed You will deliver the Ammonites into my hand, then whatever comes out the door of my house to greet me on my triumphant return from the Ammonites will belong to the LORD, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.” 32So Jephthah crossed over to the Ammonites to fight against them, and the LORD delivered them into his hand. 33With 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.
Read all of Judges 11Judges 11:31 word by word
וְהָיָ֣ה הַיּוֹצֵ֗א אֲשֶׁ֨ר יֵצֵ֜א מִדַּלְתֵ֤י בֵיתִי֙ לִקְרָאתִ֔י בְּשׁוּבִ֥י בְשָׁל֖וֹם מִבְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֑וֹן וְהָיָה֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה וְהַעֲלִיתִ֖הוּ עוֹלָֽה׃ פRead the interlinear
- thenהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
- whateverאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
- whateverיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- the doorדֶּ֫לֶתdeleth · doorH1817
- of my houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
- to greet meקָרָאqârâ' · to encounter: meetH7122
- on my triumphantשָׁלוֹםshâlôm shâlôm · peaceH7965
- returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- from the Ammonitesבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- from the Ammonitesעַמּוֹן‛ammôn · AmmonH5983
- the LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- and I will offer it upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: offer upH5927
- as a burnt offeringעֹלָה‛ôlâh ‛ôlâh · burnt offeringH5930
Cross-references for Judges 11:31
- Leviticus 27:2“Speak to the Israelites and say to them, ‘When someone makes a special vow to the LORD involving the value of persons,
- 1 Samuel 1:11And she made a vow, saying, “O LORD of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, not forgetting Your maidservant but giving her a son, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever touch his head.”
- 1 Samuel 2:18Now Samuel was ministering before the LORD—a boy wearing a linen ephod.
- 1 Samuel 14:24Now the men of Israel were in distress that day, for Saul had placed the troops under an oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food before evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the troops tasted any food.
- Psalms 66:13I will enter Your house with burnt offerings; I will fulfill my vows to You—
- Leviticus 27:11But if the vow involves any of the unclean animals that may not be brought as an offering to the LORD, the animal must be presented before the priest.
- Deuteronomy 23:18You must not bring the wages of a prostitute, whether female or male, into the house of the LORD your God to fulfill any vow, because both are detestable to the LORD your God.
- Isaiah 66:3Whoever slaughters an ox is like one who slays a man; whoever sacrifices a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever presents a grain offering is like one who offers pig’s blood; whoever offers frankincense is like one who blesses an idol. Indeed, they have chosen their own ways and delighted in their abominations.
Commentaries on Judges 11:31
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31Shall surely be the Lord's, and I will offer it up for a burnt-offering - The text is עולה והעליתיהו ליהוה והיה vehayah layhovah, vehaalithihu olah ; the translation of which, according to the most accurate Hebrew scholars, is this: I will consecrate it to the Lord, or I will offer it for a burnt-offering; that is, "If it be a thing fit for a burnt-offering, it shall be made one; if fit for the service of God, it shall be consecrated to him." That…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31The words of this verse prove conclusively that Jephthah intended his vow to apply to human beings, not animals: for only one of his household could be expected to come forth from the door of his house to meet him. They also preclude any other meaning than that Jephthah contemplated a human sacrifice. This need not, however, surprise us, when we recollect his Syrian birth and long residence in a Syrian city, where such fierce rites were probably common…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 29-40Verses 29-40 Several important lessons are to be learned from Jephthah's vow. 1. There may be remainders of distrust and doubting, even in the hearts of true and great believers. 2. Our vows to God should not be as a purchase of the favour we desire, but to express gratitude to him. 3. We need to be very well-advised in making vows, lest we entangle ourselves. 4. What we have solemnly vowed to God, we must perform, if it be possible and lawful, though it…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 31The Lord never requires bargaining for his favor. People made vows in different situations, often giving gifts to the Lord in gratitude for his help (compare Genesis 28:20–22). Before battles, people usually offered priestly sacrifices (1 Samuel 13:8–12). Jephthah's vow risked making someone in his household a human sacrifice, which Israelite law strictly forbids (Deuteronomy 18:10).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3131. whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me--This evidently points not to an animal, for that might have been a dog; which, being unclean, was unfit to be offered; but to a person, and it looks extremely as if he, from the first, contemplated a human sacrifice. Bred up as he had been, beyond the Jordan, where the Israelitish tribes, far from the tabernacle, were looser in their religious sentiments, and living latterly on the borders…Read the comment
Topics related to Judges 11:31
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Judges 11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
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