17th.: Jephthah and his Daughter
Judges 11 tells how the people of Israel asked Jephthah to fight against invading enemies.
After accepting their request, he offered the Lord, “If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,
then it shall be that whatsoever comes forth of the doors of my house to meet me,
when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.” (Judg. 11:30-31).
After Jephthah beat the Ammonites we find (Judg. 11:32-33). “And behold his daughter came out to meet him … and she was his only child.”
(Judg. 11:34). “… who did with her according to his vow, which he vowed.” (Judg. 11:39c)
Abraham did not vow Isaac.
Abraham only took Isaac at the Lord’s command.
However, Jephthah actually vowed
‘whatsoever comes forth of the doors of my house to meet me.’ Be careful what you vow.
What would the Lord have said, if Jephthah had gone to the Lord,
and said, ‘Can I substitute something else?’, while referencing a pertinent Old Testament law.
We can only speculate.
For ourselves, if we make a foolish vow, it is worthwhile to go ask,
but we must be willing to live with how the Lord answers, and with those consequences.
“When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not be slack to pay,
for the Lord will surely require it of thee, and it would be sin in thee.” (Deut. 23:21) See also (Eccl. 5:4).