ATDTDA (17): Jephthah (466.6)

[David Morris]

Jdg 11:30   And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD, and said, "If thou
wilt give the Ammonites into my hand,  then whoever comes forth from
the doors of my house to meet me, when I return victorious from the
Ammonites, shall be the LORD's, and I will offer him up for a burnt
offering."

This passage has vexed many a biblical scholar, because human
sacrifice was forbidden in Judaism as opposed to its practice by some
surrounding "heathen" religions.  The following web link explains that
the vow had 2 parts separated by an "or" not "and."  He thus vowed to
"dedicate to the Lord" OR "offer a burnt sacrifice," depending on
whether man or beats first greeted him.  This then agrees with the
later verses that states:

"And it was so at the end of two months that she returned to her
father, and he carried out his vow with her which he had vowed. She
knew no man."

Virginity being the sacrifice dedicated to the Lord.  And since
lineage in Judaism is passed via the female, this was a big sacrifice.

Link:

http://www.jba.gr/Articles/jbadec06b.htm

David Morris

> >
> > On 9/4/07, Tim Strzechowski <dedalus204 at comcast.net> wrote:\
> > >
> > > Jephthah is a character in the Old Testament who served as one of the Judges in Israel for a period of six years (Judges 12:7) between the conquest of Canaan and the first king. Jephthah lived in Gilead and was a member of the Tribe of Manasseh. He is also called Jephthah in other bible references. His father's name was also Gilead.
> > >
> > > [...]
> > >
> > > Before leaving for the war, he vowed unto God that if he were to return home victorious, "whoever is the first to come through the doors of my house" to meet him would be sacrificed to God "as a burnt offering". He was victorious, and return he did, but he was met by his daughter, an only child. It is written that after a period of isolated mourning "she returned to her father and he carried out his vow with her which he had vowed" (Judges 11:39). [...]
> > >
> > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jephtha
> > >
> > > http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=222&letter=J
> > >
> > >
> > > [...] There is nothing positive about the story of Jephthah.  Except it is a heartrending model of what not to do.
> > >
> > > http://www.cresourcei.org/jephthah.html