And he said, “Go”: Perhaps due to the emotion of the moment, Jephthah’s response is a very brief imperative Go. The verb said may be rendered “replied” (New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). If the command Go sounds quite harsh in the target language, we might say “You may go” (New International Version, New Living Translation) or “Go ahead.” Translators should find an appropriate response. Some languages may prefer to use indirect speech here. For example, Good News Translation has “He told her to go.”

And he sent her away for two months: The Hebrew verb rendered sent (shalach) is used frequently in this book, often in negative contexts (see, for example, verse 9.23). However, when Jephthah sent her away, he was not banishing his daughter. New Jerusalem Bible says “and he let her go away for two months.”

And she departed, she and her companions: And, which renders the Hebrew waw conjunction, introduces a result here, so a better connector might be “So” (New Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible). Departed renders the same Hebrew verb as Go. She and her companions is a typical Hebrew construction that highlights this main character and adds poignancy. It mirrors a similar construction in verse 11.37 (“I and my companions”). More simply we can say “So she went away with her friends.”

And bewailed her virginity upon the mountains: See the comments on verse 11.37. The Hebrew verb for bewailed is singular. Probably all the girls cried, but here Jephthah’s daughter is in focus.

Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .