Jephthah's superstitious vow led to such a great tragedy, both for his daughter and for himself. The tragedy is all the greater in that it need not have happened. Even as early as the era of the Judges, there was enough revelation from God and enough ordinary human wisdom to help any particular individual realize the foolishness of making rash promises. It was a tragedy that Jephthah did not experience the truth that guided the Psalmist: "Happy the man who makes the Lord his trust." The writer of Judges considered that Jephthah's war victories were accomplished under the guidance of "the spirit of the Lord." It seems that that insight did not enlighten Jephthah, so he sought to control God by making a rash promise to perform a brutal, superstitious and futile act. How far Jephthah's heart was from God when he even contemplated such a barbaric act!

Nowadays, most Christians would find it embarrassing at least, if not totally immoral, to suggest that acts of war can be carried out under the guidance of "the spirit of the Lord."

Perhaps Jephthah's tragedy can help us underline the immorality of war and everything connected with it: superstition, arrogant promises and threats.