Judges 11:29—40
This tale speaks of a leader of the Hebrew armies who sacrificed his own daughter to the God of Israel, having sworn that he would sacrifice the first thing that came out from his house when he returned home after battle. It is an extremely ancient story that dates from a time when child sacrifice was common.
In the history of the church, when this story has been discussed at all, it has often been presented either as a story of commitment, honoring one’s word, or a commentary on the foolishness of rash vows. Jephthah made a vow to God and kept that vow despite the pain it brought to his family. That is, the story is told from Jephthah’s point of view.
What happens when we read the story from his daughter’s perspective? Should such a reading make us question the values that inspire the traditional readings?
Jephthah’s Daughter
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The painting at the top of this page is a detail from Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini’s, “The Return of Jephtha” (1700—1725).
