Did Jephthah Sin In Offering His Daughter As A Burnt Offering?

[Steve40]

Today’s first reading struck me (Judges 11:29-39). I don’t recall reading that it was custom for the Isrealites to make a vow to sacrifice their children to God and that it became custom. I know they sacrificed their children to demons but not to God.

I guess if I contrast it to Abraham there is a difference in that God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son and then stopped him. With Jephthah he said OK God You help me win this battle and I’ll kill whoever walks through the door as a sacrifice to You.

Did Jephthah sin in saying he was going to perform a human sacrifice to God in the first place number one, and did he sin again when he carried out what he said he was going to do?

 

[jfallaw]

I’ve struggled with this one alot, too. Short answer; I don’t know. But I am sure the meaning behind this passage is much deeper than that which I draw from it literally.

 

[NotWorthy]

Did Jephthah sin in saying he was going to perform a human sacrifice to God in the first place number one, and did he sin again when he carried out what he said he was going to do?

Uh… Yeah!!!

If you read Judges, you’ll notice that the author doesn’t judge the actions of the participants, he just documents them.

 

[mercygate]

If you google around, you will find that there are those who believe the passage should be translated “or I will offer a burnt offering.” Since Jephtha’s daughter asks for permission to “mourn her virginity” for two months, it would seem that either the vow was that Jephtha would consecrate her to the Lord to live in virginity, or if she was to become a burnt offering, her dad had kept that part of the deal a secret from her. Note also that the Epistle to the Hebrews mentions Jephtha without reservation.

I think it’s plausible.

Jephtha’s sin would have been compounded by the rashness of his vow. But then, all those Judges were strangely flawed men, weren’t they?

 

[mozier]

The lesson of Jephthah is actually a very simple one, but also very, very profound: DON’T MAKE FOOLISH AND STUPID OATHS!

In the Old Covenant, an oath was binding, and it is why God warned the Hebrews (and by extention, anyone else) not to make them carelessly. The oath was absolute and completely binding, and you had to carry it out because you asked God to witness it. Even today, the oaths we take in court and other legal matters are absolutely binding, for we must tell the truth and nothing but. Oaths were so serious that Jesus warned people not to make them all together, but rather to just say yes when you mean yes, and no when you mean no.

As for Jephthath, he was so full of himself after his battle successes, he boastingly made his oath, probably thinking that some animal would come through the gate (that is how I read it, for my Bible reads that he said whatsoever comes forth from the gate, I will sacrifice it). Instead, his daughter does! Now if he has specified an animal, then it would have been all right. But no, he said the first thing to come forth.

So that is the lesson of Jephthah. Watch what you say and say what you mean, and don’t be foolish and stupid with your words. Never swear an oath you cannot keep, or better yet, never make them in the first place.

 

[NotWorthy]

You’re right about the rashness of making an oath as reckless as this.

Saul repeated this very same error with his own son Jonathan, although he didn’t back up his words.

 

[thistle]

Today’s first reading struck me (Judges 11:29-39). I don’t recall reading that it was custom for the Isrealites to make a vow to sacrifice their children to God and that it became custom. I know they sacrificed their children to demons but not to God.

I guess if I contrast it to Abraham there is a difference in that God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son and then stopped him. With Jephthah he said OK God You help me win this battle and I’ll kill whoever walks through the door as a sacrifice to You.

Did Jephthah sin in saying he was going to perform a human sacrifice to God in the first place number one, and did he sin again when he carried out what he said he was going to do?

See the Haydock Commentary on Judges 11:29-39

haydock1859.tripod.com/id575.html