JEPHTHAH'S RETURN
Remembering his vow he scanned the front of his home from the distance knowing that whatever greeted him was to be the Lord's. He wondered what animal it would be that had wandered from the barn to the house and would appear at the front door. His focus wandered occasionally as he took account of the multitude of his injuries and what exactly it would take to heal each one and how long.
Seila happened to be scanning the horizon at that moment from the main house. She had prayed fervently during her father's absence for God to not only grant him victory but also to keep him safe from harm. She had heard that the battles were fierce but that they were over and that Jephthah had come out victorious. Still, she longed for his safe return. Then in the distance she noticed the unmistakeable silhouette of her father upon his horse. She was overjoyed! She grabbed her timbrels and ran out the front door to greet him with singing and dancing to celebrate his victory as she had done so many times before.
JEPHTHAH'S LAMENT
"Father, what is grieving you so?" Seila asked. Shocked at seeing her father in a state she had never before seen him in.
"My precious daughter, I have made a vow to God to gain favor from the Lord to win the battles against the Ammonites." He went on to explain just what the vow he had made entailed to his daughter.
Seila bent down and held her father's head in her hands. "You have vowed before God father. Do with me what you have promised to God. I ask only one favor before I fulfill the vow."
"What is that my daughter?"
"Allow my friends and I to go up into the hills for two months to mourn my never becoming a mother and never being able to give you grandchildren to preserve your line."
"It shall be as you wish daughter."
With that Jephthah wept as his daughter lovingly cradled his head, feeling the uncontrollable sobbing coming from this man who she had never seen even shed a tear before.
SEILA'S RESOLVE
"To never bear children, a shame that I do not know that I could bear" said one.
"I also feel so" responded Seila.
"But my father made a vow to God so I can do nothing but fulfill it for my father's sake."
"But what will you do Sister?" inquired another.
"To be consecrated to the Lord, to serve him for the rest of my life, to know no man - these will be the requirements upon me to meet the vow my father made."
"Oh Sister, we will also weep with you. We will not forget you either and return each year to visit you and grieve with you that you shall never bear children. This we promise."
"Thank you my friends, you have made the burden upon my heart lighten."
"Let us now return so that I may fulfill my father's vow."
EPILOGUE
"I understand now Master. Jephthah lost so much. His lineage, grandchildren to be a comfort in his old age and his only child's opportunity to possibly be in the line in whom the promise of the Savior was fulfilled."
"Indeed my Brother. Yet Jephthah had faith that all would work out according to God's plan and so that is why he is mentioned here. He was one of the faithful ones who died without himself seeing what God had promised but yet knew that God's promises would be achieved in the future."
"May I continue my Brother?"
"Indeed Master. Please proceed!"
"By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised ..."