Verse 30:[1] And Jephthah (Gen. 28:20; 1 Sam. 1:11) vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands…
[He vowed a vow, etc.] [You will find the things to be said on this passage at the end of the chapter, where it seems proper to draw together into one place all things regarding this business.]
Vowed a vow: Of this and the following verse, see the notes on verse 39.
Verse 31:[2] Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth (Heb. that which cometh forth, which shall come forth[3]) of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, (see Lev. 27:2, 3, etc.; 1 Sam. 1:11, 28; 2:18) shall surely be the LORD’S, (Ps. 66:13; see Lev. 27:11, 12) and I will offer it up (or, or I will offer it up,[4] etc.) for a burnt offering.
[1] Hebrew: וַיִּדַּ֙ר יִפְתָּ֥ח נֶ֛דֶר לַיהוָ֖ה וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אִם־נָת֥וֹן תִּתֵּ֛ן אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י עַמּ֖וֹן בְּיָדִֽי׃
[2] Hebrew: וְהָיָ֣ה הַיּוֹצֵ֗א אֲשֶׁ֙ר יֵצֵ֜א מִדַּלְתֵ֤י בֵיתִי֙ לִקְרָאתִ֔י בְּשׁוּבִ֥י בְשָׁל֖וֹם מִבְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֑וֹן וְהָיָה֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה וְהַעֲלִיתִ֖הוּ עוֹלָֽה׃
[3] Hebrew: הַיּוֹצֵ֗א אֲשֶׁ֙ר יֵצֵ֜א.
[4] Hebrew: וְהַעֲלִיתִהוּ.
Jonathan Edwards' Notes on Scripture: 'Judges 11:30-40. Concerning Jephthah's vow and his offering up his daughter. That Jephthah did not put his daughter to death and burn her in sacrifice, the following things evince.
I. The tenor of his vow, if we suppose it to be a lawful vow, did not oblige him to it; he promised that whatsoever came forth of the doors of his house to meet him, should surely be the Lord's, and he would offer it up for a burnt-offering. He was obliged no more by this vow than only to deal with whatsoever came forth of the doors of his house to meet him, as those things that were holy to the Lord; and by…
Matthew Henry: 'Jephthah's vow is dark, and much in the clouds. When he was going out from his own house upon this hazardous undertaking, in prayer to God for his presence with him he makes a secret but solemn vow or religious promise to God, that, if God would graciously bring him back a conqueror, whosoever or whatsoever should first come out of his house to meet him it should be devoted to God, and offered up for a burnt-offering. At his return, tidings of his victory coming home before him, his own and only daughter meets him with the seasonable expressions of joy. This puts him into a great confusion; but there was no remedy: after she had take…