Mar. 16 - Judges 11-13

I have to admit these next couple of chapters were hard for me to read.  I'm not one for long names or big words.  Usually when I read over these big words I just use the beginning sounds.  This has worked okay until this chapter.   Ammonites, Mizpah, Gilead, Arnon, Jephthah.....blah, blah, blah.  I'm LOST!  So, here is the best I have for today.

Jephthah was a mighty warrior that was rejected b/c his mother was a prostitute.  He fled his home land.  Later, when his people were threatened to lose their land to the Ammonites they asked Jephthah to lead them.  The Ammonites wanted the land back that God gave to Israel.  Jephthah did not see this as a battle of two sides but as a battle of God's Will.

Jephthah then made a really stupid vow to God.  He told God that if they would defeat the Ammonites he would sacrifice the first thing that came out of his front door when he got home.  It was almost like he was saying, "Hey, if we win tonight drinks are on me."  As you can guess, Israel triumphed.  When Jephthah  came home his only child, a daughter, came out of his house celebrating.   He immediately dropped to his knees sobbing.  He gave his daughter two months to cry with her friends.  She then returned home he did to her what he vowed.  He was very misled in his dedication to God.  God never asked him to do such a thing.  Now it seems that in this case sacrifice does not mean kill.  Knowing God did not approve of child sacrifice, it is believed that Jephthah's daughter was sent off to do tabernacle duty.  She would then be amongst widows and other women that were set apart and she would never be able to get married.

After Jephathah there were more judges.  Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon.  There were no major stories about them.

In the last chapter the birth of Samson was announce.  The Angel of the Lord came to a sterile women and told her that she would give birth to a son.  She was told no drinking and no unclean foods b/c this son will be a Nazirite  of God, someone specially devoted to God, form birth until death.  The women gave birth to the baby and named him Samson.  He grew and was blessed by the Spirit of the Lord.