Did Jephthah Commit Human Sacrifice?

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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

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