Here is my musing for today on the terrible morality of the Old Testament, which for this series, casts a light on the way in which daughters are treated in the OT.
The story of Jephthah and his daughter can be found in the book of Judges, chapter 11. I won't relay the whole story here. You can read if for yourself. The brief summary is that Jephthah was called to fight for Israel. Starting in verse 29, the "Spirit of the LORD" (ie Yahweh) came over Jephthah and he pledges to sacrifice whatever creature comes out to greet him when he returns from the battle as a burnt offering if Yahweh gives him victory. Yahweh gives Jephthah the victory in battle. When Jephthah returns home, his daughter and only child comes out to greet him (It's evidently also important that she's a virgin. Virgin's are worth more in the OT as I will discuss in another post). Jephthah is sad, but he keeps his word and murders his daughter as a sacrifice to Yahweh.
My primary interest is not in the man Jephthah, though I think it's worth noting that the sermons I heard growing up about this story suggested that Jephthah did something wrong or at least foolish. However, there is nothing in the text to suggest this. Yahweh's Spirit came over Jephthah, he asks for a favor in exchange for a sacrifice, and he delivers on the sacrifice. Yahweh's favor does not wane after the fact of the human sacrifice. Jephthah defeats more enemies and serves as a judge over the Israelites for 6 years until he dies in office. The author gives no hint of disapproval. Any judgement cast on the man is brought by the reader.
I'm more interested in the qualities of Yahweh that can be observed in the narrative. The text says Yahweh's Spirit came over Jephthah. It stands to reason that this means the Bible's god has some influence over Jephthah. After this, Jephthah makes his vow. I won't go so far as to say Yahweh compelled Jephthah to make this vow, but it certainly doesn't seem that Yahweh could have been opposed to the vow. The vow it seems was in accord with the will of Yahweh.
Yahweh is also supposed to be omniscient, so he would have known at the time the vow was made that Jephthah's daughter was the sacrifice on the line. Yahweh must have wanted Jephthah's virgin daughter as a burnt offering. Human sacrifice was pleasing to Yahweh. If not, he could have rejected Jephthah. The story of Jephthah could have been one that ended with Jephthah's defeat in battle, or an angel staying his hand before the sacrifice, or a chicken coming out to greet him. Nope. Yahweh wanted some roasted virgin. That was pleasing to him.
It's funny because when people question the seemingly horrible situation with Abraham and Isaac where the god commands Abraham to sacrifice his son, people often object and say, "Oh, but God stayed Abraham's hand and provided a substitute offering! God doesn't want human sacrifice." Apparently he does... but maybe only virgin daughters?
To think this is the book I used to think was a moral guide ...ugh.
If you are a Christian reading my blog, I'm interested to hear your views on this Bible passage.
The story of Jephthah and his daughter can be found in the book of Judges, chapter 11. I won't relay the whole story here. You can read if for yourself. The brief summary is that Jephthah was called to fight for Israel. Starting in verse 29, the "Spirit of the LORD" (ie Yahweh) came over Jephthah and he pledges to sacrifice whatever creature comes out to greet him when he returns from the battle as a burnt offering if Yahweh gives him victory. Yahweh gives Jephthah the victory in battle. When Jephthah returns home, his daughter and only child comes out to greet him (It's evidently also important that she's a virgin. Virgin's are worth more in the OT as I will discuss in another post). Jephthah is sad, but he keeps his word and murders his daughter as a sacrifice to Yahweh.
My primary interest is not in the man Jephthah, though I think it's worth noting that the sermons I heard growing up about this story suggested that Jephthah did something wrong or at least foolish. However, there is nothing in the text to suggest this. Yahweh's Spirit came over Jephthah, he asks for a favor in exchange for a sacrifice, and he delivers on the sacrifice. Yahweh's favor does not wane after the fact of the human sacrifice. Jephthah defeats more enemies and serves as a judge over the Israelites for 6 years until he dies in office. The author gives no hint of disapproval. Any judgement cast on the man is brought by the reader.I'm more interested in the qualities of Yahweh that can be observed in the narrative. The text says Yahweh's Spirit came over Jephthah. It stands to reason that this means the Bible's god has some influence over Jephthah. After this, Jephthah makes his vow. I won't go so far as to say Yahweh compelled Jephthah to make this vow, but it certainly doesn't seem that Yahweh could have been opposed to the vow. The vow it seems was in accord with the will of Yahweh.
Yahweh is also supposed to be omniscient, so he would have known at the time the vow was made that Jephthah's daughter was the sacrifice on the line. Yahweh must have wanted Jephthah's virgin daughter as a burnt offering. Human sacrifice was pleasing to Yahweh. If not, he could have rejected Jephthah. The story of Jephthah could have been one that ended with Jephthah's defeat in battle, or an angel staying his hand before the sacrifice, or a chicken coming out to greet him. Nope. Yahweh wanted some roasted virgin. That was pleasing to him.
It's funny because when people question the seemingly horrible situation with Abraham and Isaac where the god commands Abraham to sacrifice his son, people often object and say, "Oh, but God stayed Abraham's hand and provided a substitute offering! God doesn't want human sacrifice." Apparently he does... but maybe only virgin daughters?
To think this is the book I used to think was a moral guide ...ugh.
If you are a Christian reading my blog, I'm interested to hear your views on this Bible passage.
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