Shofetim 11:38

38 And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two chodashim; and she went with her companions, and bewailed her betulim (virginity) upon the hills.

Shofetim 11:38 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 11:38

And he said, go
He granted her request at once:

and he sent her away for two months;
as she desired:

and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the
mountains;
for the space of two months: the Jewish commentators make mention of an allegorical exposition of a writer F9 of theirs, who by mountains understands the sanhedrim, to whom she proposed to go, who perhaps might find a way for the loosing of the vow; but it is a question whether there was such a court then in Israel; and had there been one, and either she or her father had applied to it, in this case the priests would have pointed out what was to be done, and especially if the vow had any regard to the sacrifice of his daughter; and even to her virginity, which he had no power to oblige her to; but the literal sense is no doubt to be followed.


FOOTNOTES:

F9 Tanchuma.

Shofetim 11:38 In-Context

36 And she said unto him, Avi, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto Hashem, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as Hashem hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the Bnei Ammon.
37 She said unto her av, Let this thing be done for me; let me alone two chodashim, that I may go up and down upon the hills, and bewail betulai (my virginity), I and my friends.
38 And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two chodashim; and she went with her companions, and bewailed her betulim (virginity) upon the hills.
39 And it came to pass at the end of two chodashim, that she returned unto her av, who did with her according to his neder which he had vowed; and she knew no man. And it was a chok in Yisroel,
40 That the banot Yisroel went yearly to lament the bat Yiftach the Gileadi arba’at yamim bashanah.
The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.