There is unique syntax here in Judges 11:31. A wooden translation is, Then it will be the one coming out, who/that comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites, then he/it will become the Lord’s, and I will offer him/it up as a burnt offering.
1 And scholars are content to deem the vow deliberately ambiguous.2,3 That in itself should already give the interpreter pause when examining this vow: using obscure or imprecise language, in a vow no less, is helpful to no one, and may very well expose a devious heart in the one making the vow. At the same time, some clarity with respect to the vow’s meaning is possible.
31 quiconque sortira des portes de ma maison au-devant de moi, à mon heureux retour de chez les fils d'Ammon, sera consacré à l'Eternel, et je l'offrirai en holocauste.