As readers we have to ask, Why now does the Spirit come upon Jephthah? Why would the Lord rescue now when really, there is no change in Israel since the Lord scolded them back in chapter 10 and said he would save them no more? Why empower Jephthah when he has done nothing to deserve it? Every other judge in the narrative whom the Spirit of the Lord comes upon or clothes is a judge sent by God to save or deliver Israel (Judges 3:10; Judges 6:34; Judges 14:6, Judges 14:19; Judges 15:14). Jephthah, however, was not raised up by God. Ellie Assis believes that Jephthah’s very lengthy but unsuccessful negotiations with the Ammonite king (Judges 11:12–28) were God’s motivation to change his mind, retract his earlier decision, and so clothe Jephthah with the Spirit.1 Yet Jephthah’s speech was far from theological; his business there was political. So the Lord’s choice to come upon him by his Spirit is gracious, with a concern for the preservation of his people.
29 Then the Spirit of the LORD was upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh and passed on to Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he passed on to the Ammonites.