Tatertot

So I was discussing with some friends on whether the stories in the old testament pointed to an angry/vindictive god. Someone brought up the story of Jepthath from judges 11, and it intrigued me. I have heard two theories on the story, that it either refers to a literal killing of the daughter, or that he sent her away to someplace where she would never marry. I unfortunately have no skills in literary criticism or ancient hebrew and I would appreciate it if some here could enlighten me.

makerowner

Looks like he killed her: "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."".

DBT

It looks like he did;

''.... After the two months, she returned to her father and he did to her as he had vowed.''

Tatertot

http://misslink.org/chapel/askaminis.../jephthah.html

is an example of apologetics that jephthath didn't kill his daughter. But I was hoping to get someone with some experience with textual criticisms and/or hebrew language studies to comment.

fta

The historian Josephus says (Antiquities 5:8:10) Jephthah "sacrificed his daughter as a burnt offering", but modern apologists like J.P. Holding don't like the idea of human sacrifice and argue that the Bible actually means the poor girl was merely condemned to a life of celibacy.

DBT

That apologetic does not appear to be supported by the text...which describes Jephthah promising his God a burnt offering in exchange for a victory in battle, and after much hand wringing and breast beating ''did to her as he had vowed'' - as a burnt offering is not the same as vow of chastity, by not sacrificing his daughter, he would reneging on his vow to God.

ApostateAbe

It is a case of modern liberal humanistic values conflicting with the authoritarian savagery of the ancients. The ancient way of Judaism was: if you make a vow to God, you must keep it. In that age and place, females were seen as the property of either the father or the husband. The unlucky greeting was seen as primarily a loss for Jephthah. And the lesson was: don't make rash promises to God. If modern apologists want to argue that the daughter was actually condemned to a life of celibacy, then let them. You don't want any fundamentalist Christian to believe that a human sacrifice can be a necessary consequence of a hasty oath.

sugarhitman

If you read that story you will notice this event happens when Israel was corrupted through Baal worship (read ch.10). Baal worship included human sacrifice. Human sacrifice was agianst the law of Moses, but the law of Moses was largely forgotten through Baal. God used Jephath to deliver Israel but the belief that God required human sacrifice was an error on Jephath's part who like the rest of Gilead who lived amidst the Ammonites was corrupted and influence by Baal worship. :wave:

WishboneDawn

This is certainly how I've understood the story. I'd never heard of the idea that she was simply sent away...I don't know how that could be wrung out of the text.

Sheshbazzar

Except your theory goes against the character of Jephthath as evidenced within the texts preceding his vow, where in he is clearly identified as a devotee of Yahweh, and is Yahweh's chosen instrument.

There is nothing within the text that would indicate that Jephthah had any involvement at all in the practices of Baal worship, or that he was violating any commandment of YAHWEH his elohim.
And even Hebrews 11:32 honors him, and presents him as an admirable example of living by "Faith".
He is presented in the text as an Israelite hero, A man of great faith, one who communed with YAHWEH his elohim, and upon whom "the Spirit of YAHWEH came", and under Whose "SPIRIT" and advisement he acted.

And here you are found joining in with those demeaning the character of Jephthah the servant of YAHWEH.
Tisk tisk 'Hitman, Did Yahweh raise you up, and send you forth to join the league of assassins to assassinate the character of his faithful servant Jephthah?
"YAHWEH the Judge be judge this day" whether you do his servant justice in your charge.