Jephthah’s Daughter

Question:

Did Jephthah offer his daughter up for a burnt offering?

Answer:

We do not think he did for several reasons:

The text reads thus, “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.” (Judges 11:31).

1. Many scholars, commentators, and the marginal reading attest that the original language is “OR I will offer it up for a burnt offering.” Some have it as “and I will offer to Him (Jehovah) a burnt offering.” From the narrative, we are led to regard the vow as implying that the object designated was to be offered to God in such a manner as circumstances would permit; had it been an animal not prohibited, then, in fulfillment of the vow, it would have been presented.
2. Jephthah was a believer in Jehovah. He says to the elders when they come to request him to be the leader: “The Lord deliver them before me.” Again: “The Lord shall be witness between us,” in his message to the king of Ammon; “And the Lord the God of Israel delivered Sihon into the hand of Israel:” “The Lord our God;” “The Lord the judge be judge this day.” He contrasts Jehovah with Chemosh. “Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah.” From his message, he was well acquainted with the Mosaic books. He would know that a human sacrifice was an abomination to Jehovah. (Leviticus 18:21; 20:2-5). Was it, therefore, likely he would propose a human sacrifice?
3. He would know by the Mosaic law that burnt sacrifices were to be males: “a male without blemish.” (Leviticus 1:3). When the Lord says: “All the first-born are mine,” “mine they shall be” (Numbers 3:12, 13), there is no suggestion ever made that they were offered as burnt sacrifices; they were, however, dedicated to God. Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac was not a literal burnt offering; he was redeemed. Jephthah says: “Whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house.” His only child—a maiden—meets him! She the only chance for his name and blood to be perpetuated. His agony is that his name and race must die with himself. As for the daughter, she asks to bewail her virginity. Why? Because now she never could be the mother of the hoped-for Messiah—that hope which from the earliest time had ever been the most cherished dream of every Hebrew woman; to fulfill the promise that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent’s head. (Genesis 3:15). The daughter asks for two months to bewail her virginity; she is celebrated four times every year by the maidens. Would they have praised a human sacrifice? Remember, her father was no worshiper of Molech. He offers her as a spiritual offering—a lifelong virginity. Like those Gibeonites in the days of Joshua, whose lives were spared, she would be a servant in the sanctuary all the days of her life.
4. And lastly, where was the altar to Jehovah on which she could be sacrificed? Altars in plenty to Chemosh, but neither Jephthah nor she worshiped that false god!

Jephthah dies. He had known no father’s home; he had been “driven out” (Judges 11:2), and no child or grandchildren were there to cheer him in his old age or close his dying eyes. Would Paul have included his name in Hebrews 11:32, as one of those of whom it is said, by “faith,” they did their great works and “wrought righteousness,” if he had slain his daughter? Certainly not.