Passions.Secondly, arm thyself with the rules of Christian prudence to avoid this sin, and the sorrow of it; as knowing that it is not enough to be a faithful servant, but he must be wise too. Well, that’s the case here with Jephthah and the matter of his daughter. Ammon had never in history occupied or ruled over the area of Gilead. That is that Jephthah said that who or whichever came out of his door he would offer to God as a burnt offering. It is this vow that forms one of the most infamous stories in the entire Bible, and therefore is usually the focus of study of Judges chapter 11. The problem is that clean and unclean animals mingled and lived together in and around Hebrew households. While it is generally correct to define the Olah as a burnt offering, in fact it doesn’t necessarily mean the burning up of a sacrifice. 3. So Yiftach was operating very much in the Lord’s will; yet as we will see, obviously not entirely. To a conscionable performance three things are required. However because the word asher is employed, almost certainly no animal (clean or unclean) was being contemplated by Jephthah. I agree to Registration terms and email opt-in *, I agree to sign up for the Holyland Marketplace newsletter, In our time we see this same thing happening with the Palestinians and Israel; the Palestinians manufacturing a bogus claim and then demanding Israel to comply or they will cause a conflict. IF RIGHTLY ENCOUNTERED THEY MAY REDOUND TO ADVANTAGE AND HONOUR. He had mixed pagan practices with the Torah, came to all sorts of conclusions about what was proper worship and proper sacrifice that were way off the mark, and yet God used him just as he was for Kingdom purposes. Visit our library of inductive Bible studies for more in depth inductive studies on this and other books of the Bible you can use in your small group. Everything Yiftach did was not in obedience to the ruach, the spirit of God; but some things were. However, I think that it is only appropriate to carry this study a bit further and show you what it is about the biblical passages that caused some commentators to believe that Jephthah did NOT sacrifice his daughter. Jephthah was a very flawed man, operating like all the other Hebrews in that time who were so terribly compromised by evil. There may be remainders of distrust and doubting, even in the hearts of true and great believers. Why are Ye Come unto Me Now When Ye are in Distress? (2) Fully and wholly, not by halves (Numbers 30:3). The only objectively valid point is the 6th one, where they claim that the word “lament” is an erroneous translation; they’re correct. 925 N. Courtenay Parkway, Suite 19, Merritt Island, FL 32953. (2) Fully and wholly, not by halves (Numbers 30:3). He shall do all that is gone out of His mouth, not taking away a part, as Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5). Let me frame this so that you get the picture. Even more, Yiftach’s mother was a prostitute, thus making Yiftach a social outcast; Gilead’s sons did not want such a degrading association within their immediate family. THE LORD COMMONLY EXALTING HIS SERVANTS WITH SOME HIGH FAVOUR, BRINGS SOME STINGING CROSS WITH IT, TO HUMBLE THEM. I say, all lawful promises, for no promise may be a bond of iniquity, and the performance of such is but tying two sins together, as Herod tied to a wicked oath, murder of John Baptist. Everything Yiftach did was not good. Yes, he made a rash vow. The world judges of men rather from their misfortunes than from their personal misdeeds. 4) There is evidence that there was an order of full-time women workers in the Tabernacle, and they were virgins. How we feel about it, or how we judge the criteria of His choice, is utterly irrelevant to the Father. He depended for everything on God; he dedicated everything to God. 3. If you’re like me, I’m not even sure I’d read it because it challenges credulity that a person who lived 3 centuries after WWII; a person who was completely disconnected by time and culture would somehow have a better idea of what happened and why it happened than those who lived during it. In the hour of Israel's need, repentant and humble, its elders approach the outlaw whom they had expelled. It should be changed to “praise” her. And is there not One who outshines all others in this? (3) Without delay; every seasonable action is beautiful. This height of honours, success, etc., easily gaineth our affections and delights, and so draws and steals away our delights in the Lord. Such were "they of Caesar's household." But if we correctly translate asher as “whoever” or “whichever”, then it points towards that offer of sacrifice being a human; the only question being which human. Bottom line: Ammon was making a bogus claim for the land of Gilead. ALL PROMISES TO GOD OR MAN LAWFUL AND IN OUR POWER MUST BE RELIGIOUSLY AND FAITHFULLY PERFORMED; OF ALL WHICH, THOU OPENETH THY MOUTH TO THE LORD, OR BEFORE THE LORD, THOU MAYEST NOT GO BACK. Now of all the issues these few passages bring up, the one that causes the most controversy is whether or not Jephthah actually made a human sacrifice of his daughter, or whether he did something else with her that did not involve her death. Back in our study of Judges chapter 3 we discussed that this concept of the spirit of God covering or anointing or coming upon a man (in this case a Judge) was generally expressed using one or the other of two different Hebrew words: labesh or hayyah. Jephthah was willing, according to his light, to give up to God the dearest object of his heart. How would you approach such a book? Besides the express commandment (Ecclesiastes 5:4).(T. It was not until AFTER 500 A.D. that any bible commentator, Christian or Jew, theorized that Jephthah did NOT actually sacrifice his daughter. He may have been a leader of a gang, but the reasoned way he conducted himself with the elders of Gilead who wanted his help, he sought no real revenge on his family, he approached the enemy king of Ammon in a thoughtful way without rushing into battle, and he showed himself to be very concerned that Yehoveh was with him, all indicates that he may have been rough but he was no ignorant thug by nature. IV. 2. By translators incorrectly inserting the word “lament” here, the obvious intent was to make the story of Yiftach’s daughter a very sad tale of the girl’s death. Have not all rejected Christ? In fact the Hebrew word used is, While it is generally correct to define the, 6) When verse 40 says that every year the women of Israel would go to, I cannot deny that some or all the above are possible. Jephthah would have been viewed as a misbehaving brother, more than a despicable and immoral thug.