Did Jephthah Commit Human Sacrifice?
Posted September 6, 2004
[Updated to fit TOA Module October 13, 2010]
Mike,
I need help with something. I came across some passages in the Bible that I cannot reconcile in my head. It has caused a big problem with my faith in the Bible. Could you help me make sense of this:
Jdg 11:29 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.
Jdg 11:30 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,
Jdg 11:31 Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD'S, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.
Jdg 11:32 So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands.
Jdg 11:33 And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.
Jdg 11:34 And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.
Jdg 11:35 And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back.
Jdg 11:36 And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon.
Jdg 11:37 And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows.
Jdg 11:38 And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains.
Jdg 11:39 And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel,
Jdg 11:40 That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.The problem I have is that it seems that this is a human sacrifice to God? That cannot be right. Have I missed something?
Thanks,
T__
Hi T____,
You are so right. This would be something that would have cost Jephthah his own life if it was to be understood as so many take it.
Exo 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.
This is not a vow of Jephthah, this is the law of God for ancient Israel. Breaking any one of the ten commandments was punished by death. She "bewailed her virginity", not a supposed pending death as many take these scriptures to mean.
The answer to this delimma is the "and she knew no man" in verse 39. This was what troubled Jephthah so. He had no sons, and now he had to give up his daughter to God, just as the prophetess Anna served in the temple in the time of Christ. Jephthah was now going to lose even any offspring he might have had through his one daughter. This was not a human sacrifice as is so often read into it. Human sacrifice would have been far more offensive to God than even to offer a swine. Both were to be punished by death.
The point of this story is "Swear not at all."
Mat 5:34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all;
I hope this is of some help to you.
Mike
