Did Jephthah actually offer a human sacrifice to God our Creator? This particular text has worried translators and theologians for years. Let's look at what man says – then let's look at what the Word of God says.

Not Truly a Burnt Offering

There are some who say that Jephthah did not actually offer his daughter as a human sacrifice. They say that Jephthah actually meant by the term burnt offering that he would dedicate his daughter to the service of God. This type of interpretation of Scripture is called "eisegesis", as opposed to “exegesis”. Eisegesis is the unBiblical practice of using personal feelings and emotions to exegete (interpret) the Biblical texts. If we allow emotion to determine what the Biblical text is telling us, then we allow a great deal of error into the Holy Text. As humans we are not qualified to either judge God, nor are we to ever add to or take away from God's Word. The Scripture warns us:

Ephesians 4:17-19 (KJV) "This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, {18} Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: {19} Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness."

That allowing our emotions to dictate what we think is Biblical truth is the action of a “vain mind”. The Scripture also tells us:

2 Peter 1:20-21 (KJV) "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. {21} For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."

That Scripture is of no “private interpretation”. Scripture is “given by inspiration of God”:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (KJV) "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: {17} That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

And we know, if inspired by God, that we must carefully exegete (interpret) the text without allowing our emotions to flavor the truth. Let's look at the text line by line and word by word.

Line Upon Line

Judges 11:29 (KJV) "Then the spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon."

Jephthah's ministry as a leader and judge of Israel had already been endorsed by God before he made his rash vow. The phrase “came upon” used with “the spirit of the Lord” is a common one used to denote the Filling ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. See the following verses:

1 Samuel 19:20 "And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied."

1 Samuel 19:23 "And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah."

1 Samuel 10:6 " And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man."

1 Samuel 10:10 "And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them."

Numbers 24:2 "And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him."

2 Chronicles 15:1-2 "And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded: And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you."

2 Chronicles 15:8 "And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the LORD, that was before the porch of the LORD.

The Spirit of God “came upon” Jephthah in order to empower him for service. The Spirit of God came upon Jephthah prior to his rash vow, if you follow the chronology (the time line) of the text as it was written by God.

Judges 11:30 (KJV) "And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,"

Now we come to the issue of the vow. Let me ask a few questions before we look at the text. First, did God ask Jephthah to vow this vow? Second, didn't God empower Jephthah prior to his making this vow? Third, does God's Word ask for or endorse human sacrifice? Fourth, did God even acknowledge Jephthah's vow? Alright, let's answer these questions.

First, did God ask Jephthah to play “Let's Make a Deal” with Him? No, absolutely not. God in His Grace had already empowered Jephthah by the Filling of the Holy Spirit to do that which the Lord wanted Jephthah to do. Jephthah's vow was no more and no less than an act of faithlessness on his part. God had already blessed Israel in defeating a number of enemies (see Judges 11:21-26). God Filled Jephthah with the Spirit. No deal was needed with God – the die was already cast.

Second, yes, God had already blessed and empowered Jephthah and Israel to defeat their enemies. This empowerment came before the foolish vow that Jephthah made.

Third, no, God does not endorse and has never endorsed human sacrifice. God specifically condemns human sacrifice in the Mosaic Law:

Leviticus 18:21 (KJV) "And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD."

God considers human sacrifice to be profanity equal to profaning His holy Name. If human sacrifice were engaged in and this was discovered in the children of Israel, then God demanded that that person be cut off or cast out of Israel:

Leviticus 20:2-5 (KJV) "Again, thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whosoever he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth any of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones. {3} And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name. {4} And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, and kill him not: {5} Then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all that go a whoring after him, to commit whoredom with Molech, from among their people."

God was even more specific in condemning human sacrifice in:

Deuteronomy 12:29-31 (KJV) "When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; {30} Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. {31} Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods."

God said that He hates and keeps on hating human sacrifice, that such a thing should not be discovered among His people. God neither asked for nor wanted Jephthah to sacrifice anyone to Him. The charge is just foolish.

Fourth, please note that God neither acknowledged nor responded to the foolish vow of Jephthah in any way. What Jephthah suggested doing was an abomination to God and, as such, God refused to respond to such a foolish thing.

Judges 11:31 (KJV) "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."

There are some who say that they believe that Jephthah was looking for an animal to sacrifice when he made his vow. Yet this could not be the case. Jephthah was looking for the first thing to come from the doors of his house. This was where he lived, and he certainly didn't keep cattle in his house. Both dogs as well as pigs were considered unclean animals in the Old Testament, and were not to be sacrificed to God. If Jephthah had kept a dog as a pet (which is highly unlikely) he certainly wouldn't have sacrificed that to God. No, it was obvious that Jephthah was looking for a human to come out of his house. Keil and Delitzsch Commentary states:

By the words “he that goeth out,” even if Jephthah did not think “only of a man, or even more definitely still of some one of his household,” he certainly could not think in any case of a head of cattle, or one of his flock. “Going out of the doors of his house to meet him” is an expression that does not apply to a herd or flock driven out of the stall just at the moment of his return, or to any animal that might possibly run out to meet him. If therefore he had an animal sacrifice in his mind, he would certainly have vowed the best of his flocks. From all this there can be no doubt that Jephthah must have been thinking of some human being as at all events included in his vow..”

What was in Jephthah's mind was this. He thought, “I want to make absolutely sure that God will help us defeat these Ammonites. Therefore I'll “make a deal” with God. Whoever comes out of that house, I'll sacrifice that person. God will make the choice by controlling the situation – He will cause an acceptable sacrifice to come out.” How many times have we, as humans, made such rash and unacceptable vows to God? Consider the mother who, when her son is in a terrible accident, vows to God “If you'll let him live, I'll do thus and so”. What about the gambler who tosses a coin and says, “alright God, if the coin lands on 'heads' I'll bet on black to win, and if on 'tails' I'll bet on red to win”. If the coin lands on 'heads' did God just help you choose what you're going to bet your money on? Can our great God be coerced into such a thing? No, absolutely not! There are many times when people play “Let's make a deal” with God, then foolishly convince themselves that God plays along. There are instances when God, because of His Great Grace, will answer questions as He did with Gideon and the fleece (Judges 6:39-40), but if God does answer such a prayer – a fleece – then you will see a clear response from God. No, Dear Friends: Jephthah vowed a vow that he had no business vowing. You cannot honor God, nor play “let's make a deal” by committing an unrighteous act – and human sacrifice is an unrighteous act.

Judges 11:31 (KJV) "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."

Jephthah vowed to God that he would offer a “burnt offering” to God. This is the Hebrew word olah', which can only mean one thing: a burnt sacrifice. It is used for this specific purpose 285 times in the Old Testament, and there is no contextual nor Scriptural reason to believe that it would mean something else here. What Jephthah vowed was terrible, but what he did next was more terrible: he refused to back away from the vow he made.

Judges 11:34-35 (KJV) "And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter. {35} And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back."

Jephthah knew that, according to the Law, if a vow was made unto God then that vow must be kept. As the Law said:

Numbers 30:2 (KJV) "If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth."

Deuteronomy 23:21-23 (KJV) "When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee. {22} But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee. {23} That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the LORD thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth."

However you were not allowed to break God's commandments, nor to take that which did not belong to you and pledge it in the vow. Jephthah vowed foolishly, and vowed something that he did not own. God has said in His Word:

Genesis 9:5-6 (KJV) "And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. {6} Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man."

God established murder as a sin when Noah and his family got off the Ark. God established murder as a sin in the Mosaic Law, the Sixth Commandment:

Exodus 20:13 (KJV) "Thou shalt not kill (ratsach, raw-tsakh', do murder)."

Murder has been sin from the beginning. Jephthah had no right to offer someone else's life as a vow unto God: life belongs to God, and God despises murder. Jephthah's vow was foolish, ill advised, and null and void from the moment he made it. God did not bless Jephthah because he vowed such a terrible vow: God blessed Jephthah in spite of the vow.

John Wesley said of the vow:

For this is expressly limited to all that a man hath, or which is his, that is, which he hath a power over. But the Jews had no power over the lives of their children or servants, but were directly forbidden to take them away, by that great command, thou shalt do no murder.

Jephthah's faithfulness up to this point is commended in the New Testament by God:

Hebrews 11:32-33 (KJV) "And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of ... Jephthah; ... Who through faith subdued kingdoms... "

Though Jephthah is commended for his faithfulness, the vow and the sacrifice – an abomination to God – is not mentioned again in the Scripture outside of the Book of Judges. Jephthah literally cursed himself with his foolish and ill advised vow, for his daughter was his only child, and he died without heir. His greatness would never be passed down, and his line would be cut off because of this abomination that our God neither requested nor wanted.

What Can We Learn From This?

The Bible is packed with the accounts of men and women who,. Forsaking the Word and Will of God, fell into terrible sin. Saul tried to murder David. David did murder Uriah, Bathsheba's wife, and took her to be his own. Samson chased after women, and was stupid enough to tell Delilah his limitations. Peter cursed Jesus, and denied knowing Him. Judas sold Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. Saul the Jew watched as the deacon Stephen was stoned to death before he became Paul the Apostle.

When anyone steps away from the truths of God's Word they immediately step into trouble. When any believer takes his or her eyes off of Jesus, our Savior and Head, then we can make our lives into a terrible mess. Unless our eyes are firmly fixed on Jesus we have no hope, no peace, no happiness.

There is coming a day when all those who refused to accept Jesus Christ as Savior in this life will stand before a Great White Throne. On that Day there will be no joking, no foolishness, no mocking of God and His Word. There is a time of Tribulational Judgment coming on the earth prior to that Great White Throne Judgment, and of that terrible day:

Revelation 6:15-17 (KJV) "And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; {16} And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: {17} For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?"

And,

Hebrews 10:31 (KJV) "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Savior, then, as the Scripture says:

Romans 10:9-13 (KJV) "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. {10} For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. {11} For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. {12} For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. {13} For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

That is God's promise: Jesus came and paid the penalty for our sinful state. If we accept what He did for us then we need not fear the wrath of God. As the Bible promises:

John 3:16-18 (KJV) "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. {17} For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. {18} He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, then the Scripture advises you to:

2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV) "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (KJV) "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: {17} That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

Study the Word of God. Attend a Church that teaches and preaches the Word of God. Seek God's Will for your life through His Word, through prayer (Pray without ceasing – 1 Thessalonians 5:17), through fellowship and regular attendance of Church services (Hebrews 10:25). Keep your eyes on Jesus, not on everyone else. Do what Jesus did – let that be your focus.

And by all means, watch your tongue. Jephthah didn't watch his tongue, and because of it made a terrible mistake. May we never be guilty of such a terrible thing!

In Jesus name and for His sake:

Brother David Buffaloe
bibleteacher.org