Judges 11:35

French (La Sainte Bible par Louis Segond 1910)

Dès qu'il la vit, il déchira ses vêtements, et dit: Ah! ma fille! tu me jettes dans l'abattement, tu es au nombre de ceux qui me troublent! J'ai fait un voeu à l'Eternel, et je ne puis le révoquer.

Que signifie ce verset ?

In this verse, Jephthah is speaking to his daughter, whom he sees after making a vow to sacrifice the first person he sees upon returning victorious from battle. He expresses deep sorrow and regret at the consequences of his vow.

Expliqué aux enfants

Imagine you promised to give away your favorite toy if you won a game, and then you win. But when you look around, your best friend is the first person you see. You feel really sad because you didn't want to give away your friend, but you made a promise. That's how Jephthah feels in this verse.

Contexte historique

The book of Judges was compiled from various sources and oral traditions, likely between the 10th and 6th centuries BCE. It records events from the period when Israel was governed by leaders called judges. The audience would have been the Israelites, and the story reflects the cultural practice of making vows to God.

Application pour aujourd'hui

In modern life, we often make promises or commitments that can have unexpected consequences. For instance, if you promise to quit a job at a certain time and that time comes, but you've just found out your partner is pregnant, the promise might feel very difficult to keep. This story reminds us to be careful about the promises we make.

Thèmes

• vows
• regret
• promise keeping
• sacrifice
• consequences
• sorrow

Versets liés

• Genesis 22:1-19
• 1 Samuel 1:10-11
• Matthew 5:33-37
• James 5:12
• Numbers 30:2-16

Questions fréquentes

Why was Jephthah so upset?

Jephthah was upset because the first person he saw after returning from battle was his daughter, whom he had vowed to sacrifice to God if he won the battle.

What was Jephthah's vow?

Jephthah vowed that if God gave him victory over the Ammonites, he would sacrifice to God whatever or whoever came out of his house to meet him first when he returned home.

How does this relate to modern life?

This story reminds us of the importance of carefully considering the promises we make, as they can have unintended and severe consequences.

What can we learn about vows?

We learn that vows should be made thoughtfully and not lightly, as they can lead to situations where keeping the vow comes at great personal cost.