Thank you for the interpretative question on Judges 11:34–40, “What are your thoughts on the Bible verses Judges 11:34-40?”
As one reads the Book of Judges, the theme of the book is that every man did what was right in his own eyes. It was not that every man did what was written in the Law. Throughout the Book of Judges, the actions of man violate the revealed will of God in the Law.
In order to answer the above question, one must take into account the broader context. The text says this, “The king of Ammon, however, paid no attention to the message Jephthah sent him. 29 Then the Spirit of the LORD came on Jephthah. He crossed Gilead and Manasseh, passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from there he advanced against the Ammonites. 30 And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD: “If you give the Ammonites into my hands, 31 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.”
32 Then Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites, and the LORD gave them into his hands. 33 He devastated twenty towns from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith, as far as Abel Keramim. Thus Israel subdued Ammon. 34 When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of timbrels! She was an only child. Except for her he had neither son nor daughter. 35 When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, “Oh no, my daughter! You have brought me down and I am devastated. I have made a vow to the LORD that I cannot break.”
36 “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. 37 But grant me this one request,” she said. “Give me two months to roam the hills and weep with my friends, because I will never marry.” 38 “You may go,” he said. And he let her go for two months. She and her friends went into the hills and wept because she would never marry. 39 After the two months, she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed. And she was a virgin. From this comes the Israelite tradition 40 that each year the young women of Israel go out for four days to commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite” (A searchable online Bible in over 150 versions and 50 languages). Bible citations are in the New International Version.
Here are some thoughts for one’s consideration:
A. God abhors human sacrifices. It is never pleasing or accepted by him.
Leviticus 20 says this, “The LORD said to Moses, 2 “Say to the Israelites: ‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing in Israel who sacrifices any of his children to Molek is to be put to death. The members of the community are to stone him. 3 I myself will set my face against him and will cut him off from his people; for by sacrificing his children to Molek, he has defiled my sanctuary and profaned my holy name. 4 If the members of the community close their eyes when that man sacrifices one of his children to Molek and if they fail to put him to death, 5 I myself will set my face against him and his family and will cut them off from their people together with all who follow him in prostituting themselves to Molek” (NIV).
If God prohibited the Israelites to sacrifice their children to Molek, then he would object to any Israelite sacrifice their child to him. It is an abomination to God for the people of God belong to him. He is their Creator God and the one who redeemed them.
B. God did not ask or demand a sacrifice from Jephthah (11:29).
The victory was already given to Jephthah when the Spirit of God came upon him. God did not require a sacrifice from him nor did God ask Jephthah to sacrifice his child to him.
C. Jephthah vow was a impulsive and beseeching request (11:30–31).
Jephthah should have known or thought more clearly before making his vow that he would sacrifice the first thing that came to meet him. The logical answer is who or what will come out to meet him except his family members or servants. No animal would come out to greet him.
Jephthah could have vowed to build an altar to the LORD God upon his victory to thank him. Jephthah could have vowed to make certain animal sacrifices in thanksgiving to God. Jephthah’s vow was a foolish one.
D. Jephthah could have repented before the LORD for making a foolish vow of offering the first thing that came to meet him.
Although this point is subjective as it is an opinion, it would seem that the LORD God would not have accepted his offering to him. It defiled the Law of God. It will not be accepted nor should the priest or people allowed that evil to occur. Jephthah could have substituted an animal sacrifice instead.
Did Jephthah sacrificed his daughter as he vowed? The text states that he did killed her in keeping with his vow. The text says in verse 39, “After the two months, she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed.” This is one of the saddest commentary for Jephthah. There is no record that he had other children as he ruled for six years and died.
The lesson one can make that even leaders can make decisions that violate the revealed will of God. One may think that one is doing right in God’s sight, but in reality that action is displeasing to God.
In regards to vow, Jesus declared that our answers should be “yes” or “no” but not a vow since no one can be assured that one can fulfill it. It is presumptuous to think that one can guarantee to fulfill it since life’s circumstances nor our life is controlled by us.
SUMMARY: God’s promises to his people does not require a vow to test one’s faith in God.
For more perspectives:
https://www.quora.com/What-are-your-thoughts-on-the-Bible-verses-Judges-11-34-40