I have read somewhere that Jephthah's daughter did not really go into temple service but was a victim of ritual sacrifice. The bible says that after weeping over her virginity that the maidens would visit her annually. How could they visit her if she was killed?
Jephthah's Daughter
by cantleave 52 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
-
-
Cadellin
Cantleave: Check out this thread which has a pretty interesting discussion of the topic. Basically, it is a NWT rendering that makes it sound like the Jewish women would "commend" Jephthah's daughter once a year--other translations render the word "lament over," meaning they annually commemorated the day of her death.
-
Leolaia
The text explicitly says that the vow was to offer her as a burnt offering and that Jephthah carried out his vow.
Judges 11:40 does not say that maidens would visit her every year. It says that every year Israelite women would "commemorate" (tnh) her every year for four days, i.e. lament her death and recount her tale. The same verb occurs only elsewhere in 5:11, where again it refers to the recounting or retelling of the deeds of famous people.
-
frankiespeakin
Sometimes sheep, goats, and doves aren't enough of a burnt sacrifice to make a restful odor come up in the nostrils of Jehovah he's need a little human sacrifice every now and then to keep him interested. Variety is the spice of life they say why should the Israelite war God(Jehovah of armies) be any different.
-
keyser soze
The My Book of Bible Stories account is a total whitewash. Even the NWT describes it as a 'burnt offering'. It's funny how it never registered with me as a kid, that I simply accepted their interpretation.
-
gubberningbody
Just to be the advocate of another position, it should be remembered that there isn't any record of Jephthah getting instructions from Jehovah to vow what he vowed or follow through on his vow. Perhaps he imagined Jehovah would stay his hand as he supposedly did in the case of Isaac. Too, at the end of Judges is the fine print disclaimer : "At that time there was no king in Israel. What was right in his own eyes was what each was accustomed to do."
At any rate I agree. Jephthah's daughter was burned.
I suppose the lack of commentary on it by others makes us think that perhaps the "thing that hadn't come up into Jehovah's heart" with regard to to case of infant burning to Molech, was 1.) Young adults burning is OK just so long as 2) This is done to sacrifice to Jah.
What I like about this place is that I can say what's on my mind. I could never do that at the hall.
I remember getting into a little trouble after my last BH when I pointed out that the "thing done to Noah " by his grandson was likely "corn-holing" him to be a bit Oklahomish about it.
-
Old Goat
Based on the Hebrew grammar, A. C. Hervey, author of the commentary on Judges for the Pulpit Commentary, says: ""She was to be 'Jehovah's,' an expression unnecessary if it was to be make a burn offering, and which could only mean 'dedicated to perpetual virginity or priesthood.' ... The inference is imperative. It was not death, but perpetual virginity, to which she was devoted."
Back in the 1890's Patrick Fairbairn wrote an exhaustive article on Jephthah's sacrifice and its implications. He reached the same conclusion. She was dedicated to temple service and a perpetual virgin. (Fairbairn's Standard Bible Encyclopedia).
As I check through most of the commentaries and dictionaries, this seems to be the consensus. The argument that is most persuasive to me is the grammatical one.
-
-
cantleave
Once again, excellent responses. I'm still not sure why this story is in the bible canon.
Laolaia is a scholar of languages and therefore I trust her logic on this and she has answered the question I asked - thank you.
Like a great deal of the OT I think this is an allegory, and doesn't merit too much consideration, other than the fact the WTS is always using this to help parents train their kids to be honest and not go back on their promises.
BTW I love the Utube video on the other thread -lol.
-
OnTheWayOut
The God of the OT loves death and genocide. What's written is tough to get over and convince people that He is a God of love.
So the WTS overcomes that by softening their choice of words. The Bible clearly says that Jephthah's daughter was sacrificed as Jephthah vowed to do, unless you choose softer, confusing words.WTS loves to be contrary to the doctrine of hellfire and earthly warfare. They say that God would never accept human sacrifice, based on some other OT scriptures. Of course the story of Jephthah and his daughter doesn't really fit the idea that God would never accept human sacrifice. Also, it wouldn't fit the WTS idea that Satan and mankind not serving Jehovah send young people off to war or the church doctrine that babies can go to hell or limbo or wherever.