Judges 11:40

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

[That] the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.

Complete Jewish Bible:

that the women of Isra'el would go every year for four days to lament the daughter of Yiftach from Gil'ad.

Berean Standard Bible:

that each year the young women of Israel go out for four days to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.

American Standard Version:

that the daughters of Israel went yearly to celebrate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

That the daughters^{H1323} of Israel^{H3478} went^{H3212} yearly^{{H3117}{H3117}} to lament^{H8567} the daughter^{H1323} of Jephthah^{H3316} the Gileadite^{H1569} four^{H702} days^{H3117} in a year^{H8141}.

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Commentary for Judges 11:40

Judges 11:40, which reads, "And the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year," encapsulates a poignant and tragic tradition within the historical and cultural context of ancient Israel. This verse follows the story of Jephthah, a judge and military leader who made a vow to God that if he were granted victory over the Ammonites, he would sacrifice whoever first came out of his house to meet him upon his return. Tragically, his only child, his daughter, fulfilled this role, leading to her sacrifice in what Jephthah believed to be fulfillment of his vow.

The annual lamentation described in this verse is a communal expression of grief and solidarity, as the women of Israel come together to mourn the loss of Jephthah's daughter. This practice underscores several themes: the irrevocable nature of vows, the tragic consequences of rash promises, the value of human life, and the communal impact of personal decisions. It also reflects the role of women in Israelite society, as they participate in a ritual that acknowledges the sorrow and injustice experienced by one of their own. The commemoration serves as a cautionary tale, reminding the community of the judge's fateful decision and its irreversible effects, while also highlighting the deep bonds among the Israelite women, who collectively share in the sorrow of a loss that resonates with the entire nation.

Historically, this verse is set during a tumultuous period in Israel's history, when the people were led by a series of judges, charismatic leaders who delivered them from various oppressors. The story of Jephthah is one of several judge narratives found in the Book of Judges, which collectively depict a cycle of apostasy, oppression, repentance, and deliverance. The annual lamentation ritual not only memorializes a specific event but also serves as a historical marker within the larger narrative of Israel's struggle to maintain its identity and faith amidst internal strife and external threats.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H1323
   There are 499 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: בַּת
   Transliteration: bath
   Pronunciation: bath
   Description: from בָּנָה (as feminine of בֵּן); a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively); apple (of the eye), branch, company, daughter, [idiom] first, [idiom] old, [phrase] owl, town, village.
   
2. Strong's Number: H3478
   There are 2229 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יִשְׂרָאֵל
   Transliteration: Yisrâʼêl
   Pronunciation: yis-raw-ale'
   Description: from שָׂרָה and אֵל; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity; Israel.
   
3. Strong's Number: H3212
   There are 938 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יָלַךְ
   Transliteration: yâlak
   Pronunciation: yaw-lak'
   Description: a primitive root (compare הָלַךְ); to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses); [idiom] again, away, bear, bring, carry (away), come (away), depart, flow, [phrase] follow(-ing), get (away, hence, him), (cause to, made) go (away, -ing, -ne, one's way, out), grow, lead (forth), let down, march, prosper, [phrase] pursue, cause to run, spread, take away (-journey), vanish, (cause to) walk(-ing), wax, [idiom] be weak.
   
4. Strong's Number: H3117
   There are 1931 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יוֹם
   Transliteration: yôwm
   Pronunciation: yome
   Description: from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb); age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger.
   
5. Strong's Number: H8567
   There are 2 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: תָּנָה
   Transliteration: tânâh
   Pronunciation: taw-naw'
   Description: a primitive root (identical with through the idea of attributing honor); to ascribe (praise), i.e. celebrate, commemorate; lament, rehearse.
   
6. Strong's Number: H3316
   There are 26 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יִפְתָּח
   Transliteration: Yiphtâch
   Pronunciation: yif-tawkh'
   Description: from פָּתַח; he will open; Jiphtach, an Israelite; also a place in Palestine; Jephthah, Jiphtah.
   
7. Strong's Number: H1569
   There are 11 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: גִּלְעָדִי
   Transliteration: Gilʻâdîy
   Pronunciation: ghil-aw-dee'
   Description: patronymically from גִּלְעָד; a Giladite or descendant of Gilad; Gileadite.
   
8. Strong's Number: H702
   There are 383 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אַרְבַּע
   Transliteration: ʼarbaʻ
   Pronunciation: ar-bah'
   Description: masculine אַרְבָּעָה; from רָבַע; four; four.
   
9. Strong's Number: H8141
   There are 647 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שָׁנֶה
   Transliteration: shâneh
   Pronunciation: shaw-neh'
   Description: (in plural or (feminine) שָׁנָה; from שָׁנָה; a year (as a revolution of time); [phrase] whole age, [idiom] long, [phrase] old, year([idiom] -ly).