And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD : "If you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD's, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering."
Then Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites, and the LORD gave them into his hands. ... Thus Israel subdued Ammon.
When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of tambourines! ... When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, "Oh! My daughter! You have made me miserable and wretched, because I have made a vow to the LORD that I cannot break."
"My father," she replied, "you have given your word to the LORD. Do to me just as you promised, now that the LORD has avenged you of your enemies, the Ammonites. But ... (g)ive me two months to roam the hills and weep with my friends, because I will never marry."
"You may go," he said. ...
2007-06-15 01:10:32 · 4 answers · asked by NHBaritone 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
After the two months, she returned to her father and he did to her as he had vowed.
2007-06-15 01:10:45 · update #1
I guess tambourines are a no-no.
2007-06-15 01:58:34 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Keeping vows is important, but it also shows what a wonderful parent Jephthah was.
His daughter lovingly and obediently followed thru on her father's vow.
Jephthah had raised a daughter that also loved and worshiped Jehovah to the point of obeying him, by honoring her parents.
Though she lost the joy of having children, we can be assured she was blessed with the joy of living her life in temple service.
Human sacrifice would not have been accepted by Jehovah, it would have been breaking His commandments.
2007-06-15 09:06:53 · answer #2 · answered by TeeM 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It speaks of making a vow to the Lord......
Be careful what you vow......if you can't keep a promise to the Lord, then don't promise anything in the first place.
Very relevant for today
2007-06-15 08:15:04 · answer #3 · answered by primoa1970 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It's about keeping wows made to God -- Ecclesiastes tells us that unkept -- abandoned wows -- shall be punished.
In the above case, the daughter did have the right to refuse her father's demand. Nonetheless, she was of similar attitude as he -- setting God first.
2007-06-15 08:59:11 · answer #4 · answered by Fuzzy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋