The story of Jephthah recorded in Judges 11:29-40 has caused difficulty for Bible students. Jephthah, under God's direction, was about to wage a major battle against the Ammonites. Before going to battle, Jephthah vowed to God that if he was victorious, when he returned, he would offer as a burnt offering the first thing that greeted him from the door of his house. Jephthah didn't give enough thought to his vow. He had no control over who or what would come through his door. In a sense, he left to chance what he would offer to God. Some scholars state that the word translated "whatever" in Judges 11:31 is actually more properly translated "whoever." Hence, there is a strong indication that Jephthah expected to offer a person to the Lord as a burnt offering.

Herein lies a point of confusion. We know that God despises human sacrifices. Sacrificing children to idols was punishable by death (Leviticus 20:1-5). In Jeremiah 7:31-32, God said that not only did He not command, but also that He never thought of asking for, such sacrifices. "When the LORD your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, 'How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.' You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way; for every abomination to the LORD which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it." (Deuteronomy 12:29-32)

Why would God, after Jephthah vowed to offer Him a human being, allow him to win the battle? Why is Jephthah listed among the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11:32? Even if we argue that Jephthah didn't expect a person to come through his door, it was still possible that an unsuitable animal, such as a dog, would be first to exit his house? How could Jephthah predict that an unblemished cow, goat, or lamb would be first to greet him?

Old-Testament Sacrifices. The Mosaic Law involved a variety of offerings (Leviticus 7:37).

• A person who unintentionally sinned offered a sin offering (Leviticus 4).
• When a person sinned unintentionally, but there existed the possibility that he could make restitution for his sin, he offered a guilt (or trespass) offering (Leviticus 5:1; 6:7).
• The grain offering's purpose is never directly stated, but it appears to have been used to express thankfulness to God (Leviticus 2; 6:14-23). It was offered at first harvest and in combination with other sacrifices, perhaps to show thankfulness for forgiveness of sins.
• Peace offerings were to show fellowship between the worshiper and God (Leviticus 3). When combined with other sacrifices, the peace offering was always offered last, as there must be atonement for sin before fellowship with God can exist.
• Burnt offerings related to the sin and guilt offerings (Leviticus 1). They were offered to atone for sin (Leviticus 1:4), but the one making the offering could choose what to offer. All the offerings involved burning portions, but the burnt offering was given entirely to God (Deuteronomy 33:10). Only the animals' skins were kept (Leviticus 7:8).
• Dedication offerings occurred when articles of the tabernacle or temple were put into service, or when a person became a priest.

Burnt and grain offerings were made daily for the nation. The sin, guilt, and dedication offerings were made, as needed, for individuals. The burnt, grain, and peace offerings were offered by individuals at appointed occasions, such as feasts, to fulfill vows, or as freewill offerings (Numbers 16:3; 29:39).

An individual who offered a burnt, grain, or peace offering was permitted to choose, within certain guidelines, what to offer. For example, money and goods were given as freewill offerings (Ezra 1:4-6; 8:28); however, money gained through prostitution was unacceptable as fulfillment of a vowed offering (Deuteronomy 23:18). Even words of praise were considered to be freewill offerings (Psalms 119:108). Obviously, items that were not sacrificial animals were not burnt, in whole or in part. Instead, they were used in God's service. 2 Chronicles 31:14 speaks of a man appointed to oversee the usage of freewill offerings.

Jesus' death on the cross, as described, could be viewed as a combination of offerings. His death is called a sin offering (Hebrews 9:24-10:3; 13:10-14). If we recall that burnt offerings were said to bring a sweet-smelling aroma to the Lord (Leviticus 1:17; 2:2; 3:16), we can see that the Lord's death was also a "burnt offering," even though he was not burnt (Ephesians 5:2). This is true because Jesus, to appease God's wrath, gave himself wholly over to God. In the same way, Christians are expected to be whole (or burnt) offerings to God by dedicating our lives in His service (Romans 12:1-2).

Special Rules for Vowed Sacrifices. Peace offerings, grain offerings, and burnt offerings could be vowed to God. Fulfilling the vow involved making the offering (Deuteronomy 23:21-23; Ecclesiastes 5:1-4). A person could vow to God almost anything that belonged to him: people (Leviticus 27:2-8), livestock (Leviticus 27:9-13), homes (Leviticus 27:14,15), or property (Leviticus 27:16-25) are given as examples.

Most vowed offerings could be redeemed, or bought back, and most of Leviticus 27 deals with how to determine the redemption price. However, certain things could not be redeemed: sacrificial animals (Leviticus 27:9-10); firstborn clean animals, because they already belonged to the Lord (Leviticus 27:26); or anything, whether man, animal, or property, that a man set apart for destruction (Leviticus 27:28). Anyone whom the Lord had set apart for destruction could not be redeemed, as they were under a death sentence (Leviticus 27:29). By implication, firstborn children also could not be redeemed, if they were vowed, because they already belonged to God (Exodus 13:2, 12-15). In addition, anything vowed once and redeemed could not be redeemed if it was vowed a second time.

Obviously, anything vowed as a burnt offering was vowed for destruction. It could not be redeemed. If it were a sacrificial animal, it would be offered up to God. Everything else became most holy and belonged to God (Leviticus 27:28). For example, property that was vowed for destruction, whether on purpose, or by selling it before it was redeemed, became the property of the priests (Leviticus 27:20-21). Other things would be put into service for God.

This is how Samuel, the firstborn son of an Ephraimite (1 Samuel 1:1), came to serve the Lord (1 Samuel 3:1) and was allowed to offer sacrifices (1 Samuel 7:9). His mother made a vow that if the Lord gave her a child, she would give that child to the Lord (1 Samuel 1:11). Although Leviticus 27 allows vowed children to be redeemed, a firstborn child already belonged to God and hence, could not be redeemed.

What Happened to Jephthah's Daughter. When Jephthah returned from the battle victorious, the first person to greet him from his house was his only child. Because she was his first child, he was unable to redeem her. Because he vowed her for destruction as a burnt offering, not only could she not be redeemed, but she was also marked as being most holy to the Lord (Leviticus 27:28). Both Jephthah and his daughter realized that Jephthah's vow bound his daughter to be a virgin for the rest of her life. For Jephthah, that meant the end of his lineage.

Jephthah's daughter rightly encouraged her father to keep his vow. She requested only one thing--two months to bewail her virginity (Judges 11:38).

Notice that Jephthah's daughter did not grieve over her short life, because her life wasn't ending. In Judges 11:39, we read: "he carried out his vow with her which he had vowed. She knew no man." In other words, she never had sexual relations with a man. There is no mention of her losing her life because of her father's vow; nor is there any need to make such an assumption. Only sacrificial animals could be placed on the altar. Everything else was either redeemed or placed into God's service.

What would Jephthah's daughter do in service to God? I'm sure the Levite women did many jobs that Jephthah's daughter could have joined them in doing. Two verses (Exodus 38:8; 1 Samuel 2:22) mention women who served at the door of the tabernacle. From John 18:16-17, and other ancient sources, it appears that women were frequently employed as doorkeepers. Some believe that women who were vowed to God became the source of these workers. There is also mention of the widow Anna who stayed at the temple and served the Lord with fasting and prayers (Luke 2:36-37), as did those mentioned in Psalm 134.

Brother Hamilton has given us plenty to consider. I also have always had difficulty accepting the belief that Jephthah offered his daughter as a human sacrifice. The last point given is one that has helped me to better understand these verses. Why would she wish to go out for a short period of time to bewail her virginity-if her life was shortly to come to an end? While I don't want to be dogmatic, I believe this explanation is one that we can reconcile with the scriptures and the things God demanded from His people. (KMG)