Bible Strands
Judges 11:34
And when Jephthah returned home to Mizpah, there was his daughter coming out to meet him with tambourines and dancing! She was his only child; he had no son or daughter besides her.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator describes Jephthah’s return to his house in Mizpah immediately following his defeat of the Ammonites. His daughter emerges from the house to greet him before any spoken dialogue occurs.
The words — יֹצֵ֣את (yo.Tzet) literally means “[was] coming out,” marking the daughter’s sudden appearance as the narrative pivot. וְ/הִנֵּ֤ה (ve./hi.Neh) translates as “and/ there!”, signaling a dramatic narrative interruption.
The thread — The motif of women greeting returning figures with tambourines and dancing appears in Exodus 15:20 and Jeremiah 31:4. The location Mizpah is previously identified as the Israelite campsite in Judges 10:17.
Why it lands — The text records the daughter’s arrival and explicitly states she is Jephthah’s only child. It presents the factual setup that triggers the crisis of the vow without offering resolution or commentary.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.
Cross-references
- Exodus 15:20 Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing.
- Jeremiah 31:4 Again I will build you, and you will be rebuilt, O Virgin Israel. Again you will take up your tambourines and go out in joyful dancing.
- Judges 10:17 Then the Ammonites were called to arms and camped in Gilead, and the Israelites assembled and camped at Mizpah.
- Judges 11:11 So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him their leader and commander. And Jephthah repeated all his terms in the presence of the LORD at Mizpah.
- Psalms 68:25 The singers lead the way, the musicians follow after, among the maidens playing tambourines.
- Psalms 150:4 Praise Him with tambourine and dancing; praise Him with strings and flute.
- Judges 5:1 On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song:
- 1 Samuel 18:6 As the troops were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs, and with tambourines and other instruments.
- Psalms 148:11 kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth,
- Jeremiah 31:13 Then the maidens will rejoice with dancing, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into joy, and give them comfort and joy for their sorrow.