11:29 the Spirit … came upon Jephthah. That the Lord graciously empowered Jephthah for war on behalf of his people does not mean that all of the warrior’s decisions were of God’s wisdom. The rash vow (vv. 30, 31) is an example.
11:30 made a vow to the LORD. This was a custom among generals to promise the god of their worship something of great value as a reward for that god’s giving them victory.
11:31 I will offer it. Some interpreters reason that Jephthah offered his daughter as a living sacrifice in perpetual virginity. With this idea, v. 31 is made to mean “shall be the LORD’s” or “I will offer it up as a burnt offering.” The view sees only perpetual virginity in vv. 37–40, and rejects his offering a human sacrifice as being against God’s revealed will (Dt 12:31). On the other hand, since he was 1) beyond the Jordan, 2) far from the tabernacle, 3) a hypocrite in religious devotion, 4) familiar with human sacrifice among other nations, 5) influenced by such superstition, and 6) wanting victory badly, he likely meant a burnt offering. The translation in v. 31 is “and,” not “or.” His act came in an era of bizarre things, even inconsistency by leaders whom God otherwise empowered (cf. Gideon in 8:27).
11:34 his daughter was coming out to meet him. She was thus to be the sacrificed pledge.
11:35 Alas. Here is indicated the pain felt by her father in having to take the life of his only daughter to satisfy his pious but unwise pledge.
MacArthur, J. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible : New American Standard Bible. (Jdg 11:29–35). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.
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