Not sure I understand

Judges 11

29 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah. He crossed Gilead and Manasseh, passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from there he advanced against the Ammonites. 30 And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD : “If you give the Ammonites into my hands, 31 whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.”

I am not sure I understand what would possess someone to say they will give whatever comes out of their house as as burnt offering.  Jephthah had to know it would be someone he cared for.  I know my children are Gods children He has loaned me.  It just seems strange to me.  It was his daughter, his only child and he followed through (which by the way, I also find remarkable).  Sad.  But what a man of faith he must have been to follow through with this.  I wish I could even say I would do this…I know I would struggle more than anything against this one.  

Judges 8

27 Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his town. All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family.

Isn’t it strange how something so seemingly ok turns out to be just the thing that removes you from your Heavenly Father? I know there are times when I believe I am doing “good” things…such as helping at Church, School, Friends, etc…and when I really start thinking about it and stepping back and praying, I realize if I would just stop for a few minutes, stay home more and relax, I would have a closer more secure relationship with Christ because I could be more involved with Him.  This is my interpretation of this verse.

Judges

21 But Jael, Heber’s wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died.

How gross is that?  I know Deborah told Barak a woman would get Sisera but eeewww that is just nasty.  So in the Old Testament, women had a bit of power?  Interesting information.  I am SOOO not a feminist…I just find this interesting reading.  This Bible thing is pretty neat!

Judges 2

10 After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel.

How wild…a whole generation that didn’t know God.  That, to me, is absolutely weird…and yet there are millions upon millions of people who do not know Jesus…1000’s of years later!!!