Perspectives

[SheepWhisperer]

Have you ever wondered if God has worded some things, in his word, which can be taken two ways(but only one answer is correct) in order to reveal to us whether we are "unlearned", "unstable", or whether we really just don't know Him at all? Case in point........

What did Jephthah do with his daughter? And show me why you believe this.
Thanks

30 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, 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.
..............................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,

 

[JonShaff]

Have you ever wondered if God has worded some things, in his word, which can be taken two ways(but only one answer is correct) in order to reveal to us whether we are "unlearned", "unstable", or whether we really just don't know Him at all? Case in point........

What did Jephthah do with his daughter? And show me why you believe this.
Thanks

30 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, 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.
..............................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,

There is a good Chance that he offered her as a "sacrifice to the Lord" as in Romans 12:1--a Living Sacrifice...not marrying but giving herself in full service to the Lord--Hence her "bewailing her virginity." Do i believe he sacrificed her as a literal burnt offering? No. She was probably given to the Lord as a servant to the Tabernacle.

 

[BobRyan]

Have you ever wondered if God has worded some things, in his word, which can be taken two ways(but only one answer is correct) in order to reveal to us whether we are "unlearned", "unstable", or whether we really just don't know Him at all? Case in point........

What did Jephthah do with his daughter? And show me why you believe this.
Thanks

30 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, 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.
..............................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,

He killed her.

He vowed rashly - supposing that the first person to come out of his doors would have been one of his many servants. He did not value their life - and so he swore a pagan oath for human sacrifice.

God taught him a lesson by having the first person that came out - be his own daughter -- so he would view human sacrifice as the horrific thing that God views it as being.

 

[Pastor_Bob]

My personal opinion is that he did not literally offer her as a burnt offering. Doing so would be a direct violation of the God's command and engaging in what God calls "abominations" (Ezekiel 16:20-22).

I do, however, believe that he fulfilled the spirit of his vow with her full understanding and blessing.

 

[Deacon]

My opinion; everything in the book of Judges leads us to believe that Jephthah probably fulfilled his vow in an unnecessary and fruitless attempt to placate God.

What is there in the book of Judges that makes us think that this judge, among the numerous distasteful characters, choose to act righteously in the end?

Rob​

 

[BobRyan]

My personal opinion is that he did not literally offer her as a burnt offering. Doing so would be a direct violation of the God's command and engaging in what God calls "abominations" (Ezekiel 16:20-22).

I do, however, believe that he fulfilled the spirit of his vow with her full understanding and blessing.

I like your view - but the problem I have with that is that the "detail that he did not actually kill his daughter as vowed is not a minor detail of too little consequence to mention. And it conflicts with the detail that she remained a virgin - and that he did fulfill his vow.

Given that it is not "so insignificant a detail" that he did not kill his daughter - that it was not worth mentioning in the story - the other more horrific ending seems to be the way the writer is leading the reader. At least that is the way it looks to me.

 

[SheepWhisperer]

I don't know where I should begin but I will start with God Himself.
God
#1 God abhored human sacrifice to "Molech". Leviticus 18:21. Leviticus 20:2-5, 1 Kings 11:7
#2 "Burnt offerings" are not what God really wants anyway Psalm 51:16-17
#3 By the inspiration of God, the Holy Spirit, Jephtha was mentioned in the New Testament long after he was Dead......You see, instead of just being the man who made the "rash vow", Brother Jephtha was one of the "heroes of faith"

Jephthah
Hebrews 11
32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: 33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. 34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

First of all, Jephthah was a son of a harlot by no fault of his own, yet his brethren treated him like garbage and kicked him out of the family. But evidently, someone taught him about God and about God's mighty works among his people, because he reiterated all this in a message to the King of Ammon. When the King refused diplomacy and chose aggression instead, Jephthah sought the help of God. Yes, Jephtha was a Mighty man of valour and, most of all, a man of faith. So before Jephthah went into battle, by faith and his zeal for God, he made an extraordinary vow" it was actually "over the top". By all evidence, the vow was "rash" and Jephthah obviously regretted it. But still, true to his faith, he stated he "could not go back" and he dealt with her "according to the vow". So how was such a vow presrcibed to be dealt with? Notice......

The vow
A "singular" vow
singular [sing-gyuh-ler]
adjective
1.
extraordinary; remarkable; exceptional:
a singular success.
2.
unusual or strange; odd; different:
singular behavior.
3.
being the only one of its kind; distinctive; unique:
a singular example.
4.
separate; individual.

The instructions for dealing with "singular" vows is found in Leviticus chapter 27 where persons, animals, money, and property could be "redeemed" by various means and prices. Such vows are not encouraged in the word of God, but are required to be paid after they're made, but God graciously provided "relief" in Leviticus 27 for persons who made them. That's what I believe was done here in the case of Jephthah;s daughter. Notice that Jephthah's daughter doesn't mention being worried about being tied to an altar and having her throat cut by her own father; she's worried only about "being a virgin". And Jephthah, being she was his only child, would never be a grandpa because she was devoted to the Lord for the rest of her life. Again, Jephthah was a great man and a faithful man and God chose to mention his name as such in Hebrews chapter 11. .But like I said, there is evidence for both beliefs, and this is the one I choose.

 

[Deacon]

Here's a previous discussion on Jepthath's vow [LINK]

 

[SheepWhisperer]

Ok, I skimmed over much of it, including the extremely pagan "song" of the "daughters of Israel" someone posted.. No, taking into account that Jephtha had done everything "by the book" in dealing with the battle situation, and the fact that his name is mentioned as one of those who did things "by faith" in Hebrews 11, I have no reason to doubt that Brother Jephthah was a godly man and that his dealing with her "according to the vow" was in line with the instructions for the "singular vow" given in the Book of Leviticus. And I would reiterate that God Himself knew perfectly well who would be the "first thing out the door" to greet Jephthah and that God does not desire "burnt offerings" and especially human ones. God is not like that.