Jg. 11: God Commands Child Sacrifice! Augghh!

Judges 11:31 "Whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD's, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering."

Jephthah was another illegitimate son, this time of a prostitute. Because of this, he was shunned by his people and would not receive an inheritance. So he leaves, and becomes an adventurer-type. Which comes in handy when the same people who wanted him gone needed him to help them fight against the Ammonites. Of course, Jeph will need a little compensation, so he is promised the position of the head of the Gileadites.

Not too shabby.

Jephthah tries the diplomatic route, asking the Ammonite king what the deal is with him coming in and trifling in Israel's business.

The king responds that Israel stole their land.

Jephthah is like, not really, all Israel wanted was safe passage through their land, and then had to fight. He brings their god, Chemosh into it, saying, "You be satisfied with whatever Chemosh gives you, and we'll be satisfied with whatever God gives us." BURN!

The king doesn't respond (how can he?) and Jepthah goes to war.

Then he makes the vow. In exchange for total victory over the Ammonites, Jephthah promises to offer whatever greets him upon his return from his victory as a burnt offering. It happens to be his daughter. And the way the bible reads, it would appear that he went ahead and sacrificed her as a burnt offering.

But the acceptable burnt offerings are made very clear in Leviticus chapter 1. It has to be from the herd or the flock, ie, young bull, sheep, goat, dove or pigeon. Instructions were given only for these animals. Not a person. Had Jephthah offered his daughter as a sacrifice, would God have reacted any differently to when he incinerated Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10? And let's not forget Deuteronomy 12.

So what happened? His daughter asks for two months to wander the hills and mourn her virginity...not her impending death. So she does, and comes back, and Jephthah is said to do what he promised.

Another way out is to buy his daughter back...to redeem her for 10-20 shekels...depending on her age, according to Leviticus 27, which, if it were an option, and judging by his reaction in verse 35, Jephthah most certainly would have done.

Bottom line is, there has to be some other fate for Jephthah's daughter, and the most likely scenario is that she became a nun...celibate for life.