Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Christian M. M. Brady" <cbrady AT tulane.edu>]

Title: Re: SV: The daughter of Jeftah died?

On 6/1/02 5:35 PM, "Polycarp66 AT aol.com" <Polycarp66 AT aol.com> wrote:

> In a message dated 6/1/2002 6:19:16 PM Eastern Daylight Time, cbrady AT tulane.edu writes: 
>
>
> > sh AT teol.ku.dk 
> > > writes: 
> > > 
> > > 
> > >> Could it be the text SAYS she was ritually sacrificed, but does not 
> > >> necessarily report historical events? I'd tend to think the text is a piece 
> > >> of Israelite/jewish philosophical reflection on themes like fate and human 
> > >> responsibility. Some might even say it's a lot more edifying that way. 
> > >> 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Huh?  What is this supposed to mean.  Please expand. 
> >
> >
> > If I may speak for the previous poster, it means that we should not 
> > necessarily assume that the text refers to an *actual* historic event, but 
> > that it is just a morality tale.
>
>
>
> And what is the moral point of her being sacrificed? 

That is for the reader to determine (the whole point of these sorts of narratives where the narrator does not provide a moral judgment is for the reader/audience to think about it themselves). I will say that I don’t think the focus is so much upon her being sacrificed as it is the broader story line of Jephtah being rejected and then called back and inappropriate vows. Consider comparing this story with Saul...
 
Cb
cbrady @ tulane.edu
-- 
"If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything." 
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