Judges 11:36

Translation
King James Version
And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon.
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KJV (with Strong's)
And she said H559 unto him, My father H1, if thou hast opened H6475 thy mouth H6310 unto the LORD H3068, do H6213 to me according to that which H834 hath proceeded H3318 out of thy mouth H6310; forasmuch H310 as the LORD H3068 hath taken H6213 vengeance H5360 for thee of thine enemies H341, even of the children H1121 of Ammon H5983.
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Complete Jewish Bible
She said to him, "Father, you made a vow to ADONAI; so do whatever you said you would do to me; because ADONAI did take vengeance on your enemies the people of 'Amon."
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Berean Standard Bible
“My father,” she replied, “you have given your word to the LORD. Do to me as you have said, for the LORD has avenged you of your enemies, the Ammonites.”
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American Standard Version
And she said unto him, My father, thou hast opened thy mouth unto Jehovah; do unto me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth, forasmuch as Jehovah hath taken vengeance for thee on thine enemies, even on the children of Ammon.
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World English Bible Messianic
She said to him, “My father, you have opened your mouth to the LORD; do to me according to that which has proceeded out of your mouth, because the LORD has taken vengeance for you on your enemies, even on the children of Ammon.”
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Geneva Bible (1599)
And she said vnto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth vnto the Lord, doe with me as thou hast promised, seeing that the Lord hath auenged thee of thine enemies the children of Ammon.
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Young's Literal Translation
And she saith unto him, `My father--thou hast opened thy mouth unto Jehovah, do to me as it hath gone out from thy mouth, after that Jehovah hath done for thee vengeance on thine enemies, on the Bene-Ammon.'
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See also
Romans 16:42 Samuel 18:19Philippians 2:30Acts 21:132 Samuel 18:312 Samuel 19:30Judges 16:28
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In the KJVVerse 6,866 of 31,102

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SUMMARY

Judges 11:36 presents the poignant and resolute response of Jephthah's only daughter to her father's solemn vow. After Jephthah's triumphant return from battle against the Ammonites, she, as the first to greet him from his household, becomes the subject of his rash promise to the Lord. Despite the devastating personal implication, she exhibits remarkable filial piety and spiritual insight, urging her father to fulfill his commitment because the Lord had granted him a decisive victory over their enemies. Her words powerfully underscore the profound gravity of vows in ancient Israel and highlight an extraordinary act of self-sacrifice rooted in an acknowledgment of divine intervention.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: This verse serves as the emotional and theological pivot within the narrative of Jephthah, one of Israel's more enigmatic judges, detailed in Judges 10 through Judges 12. The immediate preceding verses set the tragic stage: Jephthah, having been chosen to lead Gilead against the Ammonites, makes a desperate vow to the Lord, promising that "whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites shall be the LORD's, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering" (Judges 11:31). Following his overwhelming victory, where he "struck them from Aroer to Minnith—twenty cities—and as far as Abel-keramim" (Judges 11:33), he returns home only to be met by his only daughter, who comes out with tambourines and dances (Judges 11:34). Jephthah's immediate and profound distress, tearing his clothes and crying out "Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low!" (Judges 11:35), creates the dramatic tension that culminates in his daughter's remarkable and heartbreaking acceptance in verse 36, sealing her fate and emphasizing the irrevocable nature of the vow.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: In ancient Israel, vows made to Yahweh were considered exceptionally serious and binding, reflecting a culture where spoken words, especially those invoking the divine name, carried immense weight and legal force. The Mosaic Law provided specific regulations for vows, consistently emphasizing their fulfillment (e.g., Numbers 30:2; Deuteronomy 23:21-23). While human sacrifice was explicitly and repeatedly forbidden by the Law as an abomination (e.g., Leviticus 18:21; Deuteronomy 18:10), Jephthah's vow, made during the chaotic period of the Judges where "everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25), suggests a profound spiritual decline and a potential misunderstanding of God's character, possibly influenced by the surrounding pagan practices of child sacrifice. The daughter's response, rooted in deep filial obedience and a profound respect for her father's word and God's perceived will, highlights the cultural value placed on honor, family integrity, and the sanctity of an oath, even at a terrible personal cost.
  • Key Themes: Judges 11:36 powerfully contributes to several key themes within the book of Judges and broader biblical theology. Firstly, it underscores the binding nature of vows made to God, even when rash or ill-conceived, emphasizing the seriousness with which God's people were expected to treat their commitments (Ecclesiastes 5:4-5). Secondly, the daughter's response highlights themes of filial piety and self-sacrifice, presenting her as a figure of remarkable obedience and devotion to her father's word and the perceived divine will, even unto death. Her willingness to embrace her fate for the sake of her father's integrity and Israel's deliverance is a profound act of selfless submission. Thirdly, the verse touches upon divine sovereignty and deliverance, as the daughter explicitly acknowledges that "the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies," linking her tragic fate to God's active intervention on behalf of Israel. This suggests an understanding that God's purposes, even through human folly, can be realized, though not without severe consequences for those involved.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • "My father" (Hebrew, ʼâb'): (H1) This term, a primitive word for "father," is used here in its literal and immediate application. The daughter's address, "My father," immediately establishes a relationship of deep respect, familial connection, and inherent submission. It underscores the patriarchal structure of ancient Israelite society and highlights the profound filial piety that motivates her tragic acceptance of her fate.
  • "opened" (Hebrew, pâtsâh'): (H6475) This primitive root means "to rend, i.e. open (especially the mouth)." When used in the context of "opening the mouth" for a vow, it signifies a formal, deliberate, and solemn declaration, not a casual utterance. It emphasizes the intentionality and gravity of Jephthah's oath, indicating that his words were uttered with full awareness of their binding nature before the Lord.
  • "vengeance" (Hebrew, nᵉqâmâh'): (H5360) This feminine noun, derived from the root for "avenge," refers to "avengement, whether the act of the passion." In the context of God's actions on behalf of His people against their adversaries, nᵉqâmâh often conveys the idea of divine vindication, deliverance, or the granting of victory. From the daughter's perspective, this word acknowledges God's decisive and successful intervention, securing a triumph for Jephthah and Israel over the Ammonites, thereby validating the divine side of the covenant that prompted the vow.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And she said unto him, My father,": This opening establishes the speaker and her relationship to Jephthah, immediately setting a tone of deep respect, familial connection, and filial submission, despite the dire circumstances. Her address is one of reverence and obedience.
  • "[if] thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD,": The "if" here is not an expression of doubt, but rather a conditional clause that functions as "since" or "because" you have made this solemn vow to the Lord. It acknowledges the binding nature of Jephthah's commitment and the divine recipient of his oath, emphasizing the perceived irrevocability of a promise made to God.
  • "do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth;": This is the core of her tragic acceptance and profound obedience. She instructs her father to fulfill his vow, indicating her understanding that a promise made to God must be honored, regardless of the personal cost. This demonstrates extraordinary courage, obedience, and a profound sense of duty, prioritizing her father's integrity and the sanctity of his word to God above her own life.
  • "forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, [even] of the children of Ammon.": This clause provides the theological justification for her acceptance. She recognizes that the victory over the Ammonites was a divine act of deliverance and vindication, a direct fulfillment of God's part of the implicit agreement. Her sacrifice, therefore, is framed within the context of God's faithfulness and Israel's salvation, making her fate tragically intertwined with the divine plan for her people, even through human folly.

Literary Devices

The narrative of Jephthah's daughter is imbued with profound Tragedy, depicting an inevitable and devastating outcome stemming from a flawed but sincere vow. There is striking Irony in Jephthah's desperate attempt to secure victory through a vow, which ultimately leads to the tragic loss of his only child, the very heir who would perpetuate his line and carry on his name. The Dialogue in this verse is pivotal, revealing the daughter's remarkable character, her profound filial piety, and her theological understanding. Her words are not a plea for mercy but a courageous affirmation of duty and divine sovereignty. There is also an element of Foreshadowing in the rashness of Jephthah's vow in Judges 11:31, which inevitably points to a dire consequence, tragically fulfilled by her appearance. The narrative employs powerful Pathos to evoke deep sympathy for the innocent victim of a father's misguided zeal and the harsh realities of a period where divine guidance was often obscured by human fallibility.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Judges 11:36 stands as a stark reminder of the profound seriousness with which vows were regarded in ancient Israel, highlighting the absolute necessity of fulfilling one's word to the Lord. While Jephthah's vow itself was rash and tragically misdirected, his daughter's response underscores the cultural and spiritual expectation that a promise made to God, once uttered, was binding and irrevocable. Her willingness to embrace the devastating consequences for the sake of her father's integrity and the acknowledgment of God's victory over the Ammonites speaks to a deep, albeit tragically expressed, sense of duty and devotion. This narrative serves as a powerful cautionary tale against making hasty or ill-considered promises to God, while simultaneously showcasing an extraordinary, albeit sorrowful, example of obedience and sacrifice in the face of a binding oath.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

The story of Jephthah's daughter, particularly her response in Judges 11:36, challenges us to consider the gravity of our words and commitments, especially those made before God. While the specific context of a human sacrifice is abhorrent and contrary to God's revealed law, the underlying principle of integrity in vow-keeping remains eternally relevant. We are called to be people whose "yes is yes" and "no is no," understanding that God takes our words seriously. This narrative compels us to approach all promises, whether to God or to others, with sober deliberation, prayerful consideration, and a deep sense of responsibility. Furthermore, the daughter's extraordinary willingness to embrace a devastating personal cost for what she perceived as a greater good—her father's honor and God's glory—prompts us to reflect on the depth of our own devotion and the extent of our willingness to sacrifice for principles we hold dear, or for the sake of others. It is a somber yet powerful reminder of the potential costs of human folly and the profound impact of individual choices within the larger tapestry of God's unfolding purposes.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does this passage challenge my understanding of the seriousness of promises and commitments, both to God and to others?
  • In what areas of my life might I be making rash "vows" or commitments without proper consideration of the consequences?
  • What does Jephthah's daughter's self-sacrifice, however tragic, reveal about the nature of true devotion and obedience?
  • How can I cultivate a greater sense of integrity and deliberation in my words and actions, reflecting God's own faithfulness?

FAQ

Was Jephthah's vow acceptable to God, and did God require the sacrifice of his daughter?

Answer: No, Jephthah's vow, particularly if it implied human sacrifice, was not acceptable to God, nor did God require the sacrifice of his daughter. The Mosaic Law explicitly and repeatedly condemned human sacrifice as an abomination (e.g., Leviticus 18:21, Deuteronomy 12:31, Deuteronomy 18:10). The narrative in Judges is descriptive, not prescriptive; it records the tragic events of a period where "everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25), leading to actions that were often contrary to God's revealed will. Jephthah's vow was rash and likely influenced by pagan practices of the surrounding nations, demonstrating a lack of full understanding of Yahweh's character and commands. God granted Jephthah victory despite the vow, not because of it, and the tragic outcome highlights the severe consequences of human folly and misguided zeal, not divine requirement.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

The tragic narrative of Jephthah's daughter, while showcasing a profound act of filial piety and self-sacrifice, ultimately points to the perfect and willing sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Unlike Jephthah's rash vow, which led to an innocent and unwilling victim (from a human perspective, though the daughter accepted her fate), God's ultimate sacrifice of His Son was a deliberate, pre-ordained act of divine love and justice. Jephthah's daughter, in her obedience to her father's word, foreshadows Christ's perfect obedience to His Heavenly Father, even unto death on the cross (Philippians 2:8). Where Jephthah's vow was born of human desperation and led to sorrow, Christ's sacrifice was the fulfillment of God's eternal plan to take away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Her willingness to be "offered" for the sake of her father's integrity and a divine victory, however misguided, dimly reflects the Lamb of God who willingly laid down His life, not for a temporal military victory, but for eternal redemption, becoming the ultimate, once-for-all sacrifice that truly "takes vengeance" on sin and death (Hebrews 10:5-10). Her submission, "do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth," finds its perfect echo in Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane, "not my will, but yours be done" (Luke 22:42), highlighting His perfect alignment with the Father's redemptive purpose.

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Commentary on Judges 11 verses 29–40

I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points(1.) (2.) Details

We have here Jephthah triumphing in a glorious victory, but, as an alloy to his joy, troubled and distressed by an unadvised vow.

I. Jephthah's victory was clear, and shines very brightly, both to his honour and to the honour of God, his in pleading and God's in owning a righteous cause. 1. God gave him an excellent spirit, and he improved it bravely, Jdg 11:29. When it appeared by the people's unanimous choice of him for their leader that he had so clear a call to engage, and by the obstinate deafness of the king of Ammon to the proposals of accommodation that he had so just a cause to engage in, then the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and very much advanced his natural faculties, enduing him with power from on high, and making him more bold and more wise than ever he had been, and more fired with a holy zeal against the enemies of his people. Hereby God confirmed him in his office, and assured him of success in his undertaking. Thus animated, he loses no time, but with an undaunted resolution takes the field. Particular notice is taken of the way by which he advanced towards the enemy's camp, probably because the choice of it was an instance of that extraordinary discretion with which the Spirit of the Lord had furnished him; for those who sincerely walk after the Spirit shall be led forth the right way. 2. God gave him eminent success, and he bravely improved that too (Jdg 11:32): The Lord delivered the Ammonites into his hand, and so gave judgment upon the appeal in favour of the righteous cause, and made those feel the force of war that would not yield to the force of reason; for he sits in the throne, judging right. Jephthah lost not the advantages given him, but pursued and completed his victory. Having routed their forces in the field, he pursued them to their cities, where he put to the sword all he found in arms, so as utterly to disable them from giving Israel any molestation, Jdg 11:33. But it does not appear that he utterly destroyed the people, as Joshua had destroyed the devoted nations, nor that he offered to make himself master of the country, though their pretensions to the land of Israel might have given him colour to do so: only he took care that they should be effectually subdued. Though others' attempting wrong to us will justify us in the defence of our own right, yet it will not authorize us to do them wrong.

II. Jephthah's vow is dark, and much in the clouds. When he was going out from his own house upon this hazardous undertaking, in prayer to God for his presence with him he makes a secret but solemn vow or religious promise to God, that, if God would graciously bring him back a conqueror, whosoever or whatsoever should first come out of his house to meet him it should be devoted to God, and offered up for a burnt-offering. At his return, tidings of his victory coming home before him, his own and only daughter meets him with the seasonable expressions of joy. This puts him into a great confusion; but there was no remedy: after she had taken some time to lament her own infelicity, she cheerfully submitted to the performance of his vow. Now,

1.There are several good lessons to be learnt out of this story. (1.) That there may be remainders of distrust and doubting even in the hearts of true and great believers. Jephthah had reason enough to be confident of success, especially when he found the Spirit of the Lord come upon him, and yet, now that it comes to the settling, he seems to hesitate (v. 30): If thou wilt without fail deliver them into my hand, then I will do so and so. And perhaps the snare into which his vow brought him was designed to correct the weakness of his faith, and a fond conceit he had that he could not promise himself a victory unless he proffered something considerable to be given to God in lieu of it. (2.) That yet it is very good, when we are in the pursuit or expectation of any mercy, to make vows to God of some instance of acceptable service to him, not as a purchase of the favour we desire, but as an expression of our gratitude to him and the deep sense we have of our obligations to render according to the benefit done to us. The matter of such a singular vow (Lev 27:2) must be something that has a plain and direct tendency either to the advancement of God's glory, and the interests of his kingdom among men, or to the furtherance of ourselves in his service, and in that which is antecedently our duty. (3.) That we have great need to be very cautious and well advised in the making of such vows, lest, by indulging a present emotion even of pious zeal, we entangle our own consciences, involve ourselves in perplexities, and are forced at last to say before the angel that it was an error, Ecc 5:2-6. It is a snare to a man hastily to devour that which is holy, without due consideration quid valeant humeri, quid ferre recusent - what we are able or unable to effect, and without inserting the needful provisos and limitations which might prevent the entanglement, and then after vows to make the enquiry which should have been made before, Pro 20:25. Let Jephthah's harm be our warning in this matter. See Deu 23:22. (4.) That what we have solemnly vowed to God we must conscientiously perform, if it be possible and lawful, though it be ever so difficult and grievous to us. Jephthah's sense of the powerful obligation of his vow must always be ours (Jdg 11:35): "I have opened my mouth unto the Lord in a solemn vow, and I cannot go back," that is, "I cannot recall the vow myself, it is too late, nor can any power on earth dispense with it, or give me up my bond." The thing was my own, and in my own power (Act 5:4), but now it is not. Vow and pay, Psa 76:11. We deceive ourselves if we think to mock God. If we apply this to the consent we have solemnly given, in our sacramental vows, to the covenant of grace made with poor sinners in Christ, what a powerful argument will it be against the sins we have by those vows bound ourselves out from, what a strong inducement to the duties we have hereby bound ourselves up to, and what a ready answer to every temptation! "I have opened my mouth to the Lord, and I cannot go back; I must therefore go forward. I have sworn, and I must, I will, perform it. Let me not dare to play fast and loose with God." (5.) That it well becomes children obediently and cheerfully to submit to their parents in the Lord, and particularly to comply with their pious resolutions for the honour of God and the keeping up of religion in their families, though they be harsh and severe, as the Rechabites, who for many generations religiously observed the commands of Jonadab their father in forbearing wine, and Jephthah's daughter here, who, for the satisfying of her father's conscience, and for the honour of God and her country, yielded herself as one devoted (Jdg 11:36): "Do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; I know I am dear to thee, but am well content that God should be dearer." The father might disallow any vow made by the daughter (Num 30:5), but the daughter could not disallow or disannul, no, not such a vow as this, made by the father. This magnifies the law of the fifth commandment. (6.) That our friends' grievances should be our griefs. Where she went to bewail her hard fate the virgins, her companions, joined with her in her lamentations, Jdg 11:38. With those of her own sex and age she used to associate, who no doubt, now that her father had on a sudden grown so great, expected, shortly after his return, to dance at her wedding, but were heavily disappointed when they were called to retire to the mountains with her and share in her griefs. Those are unworthy the name of friends that will only rejoice with us, and not weep with us. (7.) That heroic zeal for the honour of God and Israel, though alloyed with infirmity and indiscretion, is worthy to be had in perpetual remembrance. It well became the daughters of Israel by an annual solemnity to preserve the honourable memory of Jephthah's daughter, who made light even of her own life like a noble heroine, when God had taken vengeance on Israel's enemies, Jdg 11:36. Such a rare instance of one that preferred the public interest before life itself was never to be forgotten. Her sex forbade her to follow to the war, and so to expose her life in battle, in lieu of which she hazards it much more (and perhaps apprehended that she did so, having some intimation of his vow, and did it designedly; for he tells her, Jdg 11:35, Thou hast brought me very low) to grace his triumphs. So transported was she with the victory as a common benefit that she was willing to be herself offered up as a thank-offering for it, and would think her life well bestowed when laid down on so great an occasion. She thinks it an honour to die, not as a sacrifice of atonement for the people's sins (that honour was reserved for Christ only), but as a sacrifice of acknowledgment for the people's mercies. (8.) From Jephthah's concern on this occasion, we must learn not to think it strange if the day of our triumphs in this world prove upon some account or other the day of our griefs, and therefore must always rejoice with trembling; we hope for a day of triumph hereafter which will have no alloy.

2.Yet there are some difficult questions that do arise upon this story which have very much employed the pens of learned men. I will say but little respecting them, because Mr. Poole has discussed them very fully in his English annotations.

(1.)It is hard to say what Jephthah did to his daughter in performance of his vow. [1.] Some think he only shut her up for a nun, and that it being unlawful, according to one part of his vow (for they make it disjunctive), to offer her up for a burnt-offering, he thus, according to the other part, engaged her to be the Lord's, that is, totally to sequester herself from all the affairs of this life, and consequently from marriage, and to employ herself wholly in the acts of devotion all her days. That which countenances this opinion is that she is said to bewail her virginity (Jdg 11:37, Jdg 11:38) and that she knew no man, Jdg 11:39. But, if he sacrificed her, it was proper enough for her to bewail, not her death, because that was intended to be for the honour of God, and she would undergo it cheerfully, but that unhappy circumstance of it which made it more grievous to her than any other, because she was her father's only child, in whom he hoped his name and family would be built up, that she was unmarried, and so left no issue to inherit her father's honour and estate; therefore it is particularly taken notice of (Jdg 11:34) that besides her he had neither son nor daughter. But that which makes me think Jephthah did not go about thus to satisfy his vow, or evade it rather, is that we do not find any law, usage, or custom, in all the Old Testament, which does in the least intimate that a single life was any branch or article of religion, or that any person, man or woman, was looked upon as the more holy, more the Lord's, or devoted to him, for living unmarried: it was no part of the law either of the priests or of the Nazarites. Deborah and Huldah, both prophetesses, are both of them particularly recorded to have been married women. Besides, had she only been confined to a single life, she needed not to have desired these two months to bewail it in: she had her whole life before her to do that, if she saw cause. Nor needed she to take such a sad leave of her companions; for those that are of that opinion understand what is said in Jdg 11:40 of their coming to talk with her, as our margin reads it, four days in a year. Therefore, [2.] It seems more probable that he offered her up for a sacrifice, according to the letter of his vow, misunderstanding that law which spoke of persons devoted by the curse of God as if it were to be applied to such as were devoted by men's vows (Lev 27:29, None devoted shall be redeemed, but shall surely be put to death), and wanting to be better informed of the power the law gave him in this case to redeem her. Abraham's attempt to offer up Isaac perhaps encouraged him, and made him think, if God would not accept this sacrifice which he had vowed, he would send an angel to stay his hand, as he did Abraham's. If she came out designedly to be made a sacrifice, as who knows but she might? perhaps he thought that would make the case the plainer. Volenti non sit injuria - No injury is done to a person by that to which he himself consents. He imagined, it may be, that where there was neither anger nor malice there was no murder, and that his good intention would sanctify this bad action; and, since he had made such a vow, he thought better to kill his daughter than break his vow, and let Providence bear the blame, that brought her forth to meet him.

(2.)But, supposing that Jephthah did sacrifice his daughter, the question is whether he did well. [1.] Some justify him in it, and think he did well, and as became one that preferred the honour of God before that which was dearest to him in this world. He is mentioned among the eminent believers who by faith did great things, Heb 11:32. And this was one of the great things he did. It was done deliberately, and upon two months' consideration and consultation. He is never blamed for it by any inspired writer. Though it highly exalts the paternal authority, yet it cannot justify any in doing the like. He was an extraordinary person. The Spirit of the Lord came upon him. Many circumstances, now unknown to us, might make this altogether extraordinary, and justify it, yet not so as that it might justify the like. Some learned men have made this sacrifice a figure of Christ the great sacrifice: he was of unspotted purity and innocency, as she a chaste virgin; he was devoted to death by his Father, and so made a curse, or an anathema, for us; he submitted himself, as she did, to his Father's will: Not as I will, but as thou wilt. But, [2.] Most condemn Jephthah; he did ill to make so rash a vow, and worse to perform it. He could not be bound by his vow to that which God had forbidden by the letter of the sixth commandment: Thou shalt not kill. God had forbidden human sacrifices, so that it was (says Dr. Lightfoot) in effect a sacrifice to Moloch. And, probably, the reason why it is left dubious by the inspired penman whether he sacrificed her or no was that those who did afterwards offer their children might not take any encouragement from this instance. Concerning this and some other such passages in the sacred story, which learned men are in the dark, divided, and in doubt about, we need not much perplex ourselves; what is necessary to our salvation, thanks be to God, is plain enough.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 29–40. Public domain.
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Origen of AlexandriaAD 253
COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 6.276-78
The remaining sacrifices, of which those relating to the law are a symbol, are akin to this sacrifice. But in addition, the other sacrifices akin to this sacrifice seem to me to be the shedding of the blood of the noble martyrs. It was not in vain that the disciple John saw them standing beside the heavenly altar. "But who is wise, that he shall understand these things? Or intelligent, and he shall know them?"3Now comprehend, even if to a limited extent, the more spiritual sense of such sacrifices which cleanse those for whom they are offered; one must understand the sense of the sacrifice of the daughter of Jephthah who was offered as a burnt offering because of the vow of him who conquered the children of Ammon. She who was offered as a burnt offering consented to this vow, for, when her father said, "I have opened my mouth to the Lord against you," she said to him, "And if you have opened your mouth to the Lord against me, perform your vow."
Such accounts give an appearance of great cruelty to God to whom such sacrifices are offered for humanity's salvation. We need a generous and perceptive spirit in order to refute the reproaches made against providence and, at the same time, to make a defense of all the sacrifices insofar as they are rather mysterious and beyond human nature.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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