SACRIFICING YOUR TEEN DAUGHTER TO THANK GOD FOR VICTORY

When it comes to book banning initiatives, one wonders why any family values person would want their impressionable child exposed to the Book of Judges in the Bible. In particular, let's talk a little bit about Judges 11, in which warlord  Jephthah sacrifices his daughter to thank YHWH for victory over the evil Ammonites. 

STORY SUMMARY: on the way to fight the Ammonites - Canaanite types who who had been resistant to the Israelites' taking over their land - Jephthah vows to sacrifice whatever or whomever he first encounters after the victory.

"And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, 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." - [KJV]

The good news is that Jephthah won the battle, but unfortunately, when he returns to his house, his unnamed daughter comes out the door to help him celebrate. 

Jephthah feels pretty bad and rends his clothes. He gives her a few months to hang out with her friends, and then he sacrifices her.

YHWH has nothing to say about it one way or the other, and certainly doesn't prevent it. Compare this scenario to the of Abraham, who is willing to sacrifice Isaac until YHWH calls it off.

A fascinating aspect of this story is the effort by Bible apologists to claim that he didn't necessarily go ahead with it. The language is tricky, suggesting that the scripture doesn't clearly say he barbeques his kid. I can only assume these writers are hoping no one grabs their good book to verify this claim. 

Here is what the passage says:

"And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel,

That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year."

That is the King James Version, but all translations say the same thing with little variation:  He made good on his vow, which was to sacrifice his daughter.

And now class, how can we apply with biblical wisdom to our own daily lives?