Jephthah's daughter, sometimes later referred to as Seila or as Iphis, is a figure in the Hebrew Bible, whose story is recounted in Judges 11. The judge Jephthah had just won a battle over the Ammonites, and vowed he would give the first thing that came out of his house as a burnt offering to God. However, his only child, an unnamed daughter, came out to meet him dancing and playing a tambourine (v. 34). She encourages Jephthah to fulfill his vow (v. 36) but asks for two months to weep for her virginity (v. 38). After this period of time, Jephthah fulfilled his vow and offered his daughter.
One opinion among commentators is that after she mourned for her virginity in light of the Biblical commandment to "be fruitful and multiply", which she would now no longer be able to fulfill, Jephthah killed his daughter in an act of human sacrifice.[1] There is an opposing opinion that Jephthah's daughter was "offered to the Lord" in the same way Samuel was offered after birth, and spent the rest of her life in seclusion. This is based on considerations arising from the narrative, such as that weeping for her virginity would make no sense if she were about to die. Commentators holding this view include David Kimhi,[2] Keil and Delitzsch,[3] James B. Jordan,[4] and the Jehovah's Witnesses.[5]
- ^ Stone, Lawson (2016). Joshua, Judges, Ruth. Tyndale House. p. 358. ISBN 9781414398792. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
But did Jephthah actually offer his daughter as a burnt offering?
- ^ Hirsch, Emil. "Jephthah (יפתח)". Jewish Encyclopedia. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
- ^ Keil and Delitzsch. "Judges 11". Retrieved 29 July 2018.
- ^ Jordan, James (June 1996). "Jephthah's Daughter". Biblical Horizons. 86. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
- ^ "She Was Loved by God and by Her Friends | Teach Your Children". JW.ORG. Retrieved 31 August 2019.