Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Awohili AT aol.com]

Dear Rolf,

Concerning Jephthah, my examination of the Hebrew text and several commentators, classical and modern,  which was published in my article, "Did Jephthah Kill His Daughter?"  (Bible Review magazine, August 1991),  led me to the same conclusions that you express. Deuteronomy 12:30, 31 declares YHWH's abhorrence of the child-sacrificing practices of the neighbors of the Hebrews.  Important clues in the Hebrew text of the book of Judges point to a different resolution of the matter than child sacrifice.

Solomon Landers

In a message dated 01/27/2002 12:53:53 PM Pacific Standard Time, furuli AT online.no writes:


The acceptance of human sacrifices neither accords with the
personality of YHWH as it is described in the Tanach, nor with the
laws therein. Even a criminal who were hanged on a tree as a curse
was first killed. I agree that there is no condemnation of human
sacrifice in the account of Jephrah's daughter, but that is because
such a sacrifice was not at stake - as I understand the account.