An Example Of Failed Leadership
by Bill Ireland, Pinnacle Associate
Of all the flawed characters in the book of Judge, Jephthah is the most tragic. As with all the other judges, he comes to power in response to a crisis facing Israel. This time the Hebrews are struggling against the Ammonites, who have brutally “distressed, crushed, and oppressed,” them. The situation is dire and demands a strong leader and warrior. Although an outcast, Jephthah fits the bill. He commands a band of outlaws and apparently is something of a mercenary. As do all the judges, Jephthah will carry the fight to the Ammonites and defeat them.
Jephthah, however, is not remembered for his military prowess but for his tragic vow. Although the Spirit has come upon Jephthah, that’s not enough for him. He needs a divine guarantee and so vows to offer whoever or whatever comes out of his house to greet him and celebrate his victory. Tragically, when he returns home victorious, the first person out of his house is his daughter, his only daughter. At that moment, he rends his clothes and dissolves into grief. He tells his daughter he must keep his vow. She requests a two-month reprieve in which to lament her fate. Jephthah grants her request, and after two months, she returns home. Jephthah keeps his vow and sacrifices his daughter.
The enormity of this tragedy staggers the imagination. To feel its pathos, all we have to do is recall a moment when our child or grandchild (or any child!) greeted us by running and leaping into our arms—so glad to see us! Not Jephthah! To our way of thinking, Jephthah should have confessed right then and there that he had spoken in haste, had made a terrible mistake, and renounced his vow. But he doesn’t. Some interpreters try to let him off the hook by saying he at least kept his word or some such nonsense. To my way of thinking, there’s no way to justify Jephthah’s action, none at all. Child sacrifice is never, ever acceptable. No altar is worthy of our children.
Perhaps the only way to wrest something of value and redeem this tragic story is to look at it through a different lens. In this regard, apart from the tragedy of his reckless vow, the writer of Judges leaves no doubt that Jephthah, the mighty and powerful warrior, is in many ways a poor leader. Indeed, he fails many of the tests that set good leaders apart from bad ones.
In that vein, let me call attention to the following:
Despite the presence of the Spirit, Jephthah has a transactional view of life and faith. When the leaders of the Hebrew people call upon him to deliver them from the Ammonites Jephthah agrees, but only if he is given enormous power and status. In other words, he will take the job only if it benefits him in some way. Although the Spirit comes upon him, he apparently has no awareness of God’s presence. As a result, he attempts to bribe God and make a deal with the Almighty: “you give me this, and I’ll give you that.” For Jephthah, victory can only be purchased rather than won. In my experience, the best leaders operate out of a strong core of principles. While compromise may be necessary at times, the best leaders know what they won’t trade or surrender in order to achieve their objectives. Although they know what they wish to accomplish, they also know what they are NOT willing to do to get it done. They are not up for sale to the highest bidder.
As well, Jephthah’s failed leadership shows up in his willingness to blame the victim for his poor choices. As soon as his daughter comes out the front door to greet him, his first response is to tear his clothes and then say: “Alas my daughter! You have brought me very low; you have become the cause of great trouble to me.” Jephthah makes like his daughter is to blame for her fate... that he has nothing to do with it. The best leaders, however, take responsibility for their actions and decisions. If they don’t succeed, they look their failure in the eye and own it, effectively saying, “That’s on me!” The best leaders don’t throw others under the bus in order to make themselves look good.
Compounding Jephthah’s failure is his unwillingness to back down from a bad decision. In chapter 10, the writer of Judges notes that God has grown weary of bailing out his people. This time, he says, he will not deliver them. Nevertheless, God is moved by their suffering and decides to act for their deliverance. The contrast between God and Jephthah could not be more pointed: if God can change his mind, then why not Jephthah? Poor leaders refuse to acknowledge their bad judgment and instead double down and insist they’re right. When things get sideways, good leaders are willing to back up and try another path. Good leaders are not afraid to say, “This isn’t working. It’s time to try something else.”
The leaders of Israel recruited Jephthah and gave him enormous power. Although Jephthah defeated the Ammonites, Israel still spiraled downward. The strong and powerful warrior won the battle but ultimately failed to provide the kind of principled and moral leadership that would set them on the right path. In this light, then, the story serves as a cautionary tale, warning us against granting too much power to those who would sacrifice others rather than themselves.