Judges 11:31

Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh 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.

Cross-references

In Judges 11:39, Jephthah fulfills this vow exactly as promised — his daughter becomes the burnt offering.

Judges 21:1 Parallel

In Judges 21:1, Israel makes a rash oath about not giving daughters — similar to Jephthah's rash vow here.

In 1 Samuel 14:44, Saul swears Jonathan must die for violating his vow — mirroring Jephthah's binding vow that leads to a child's sacrifice.

Leviticus 27:29 says a person devoted to destruction must be put to death — the law Jephthah likely applied to his daughter.

1 Samuel 1:11 records Hannah's vow to dedicate Samuel to temple service — contrasting with Jephthah's vow to sacrifice his daughter.

1 Samuel 1:28 shows Hannah fulfilling her vow by dedicating Samuel to lifelong service — opposite of Jephthah's burnt offering.

In 1 Samuel 14:24, Saul makes a rash vow that endangers his son Jonathan — a parallel to Jephthah's rash vow that costs his daughter.

In Genesis 22:2, God commands Abraham to offer Isaac — a test of faith, whereas Jephthah's vow is self-imposed and leads to a human sacrifice without divine command.

Leviticus 5:4 addresses rash vows made thoughtlessly — exactly the kind of vow Jephthah makes here.

Micah 6:7 Allusion

Micah 6:7 asks if God wants a child as a burnt offering — directly echoing Jephthah's tragic vow here.

Numbers 30:2 commands that a vow to the Lord must be kept — Jephthah's vow here binds him to fulfill it.

Deuteronomy 23:23 insists on fulfilling what you vow to the Lord — Jephthah's vow here creates that obligation.

Leviticus 27:2 provides for redeeming persons vowed to God — contrasting with Jephthah's intent to offer his daughter as a burnt offering.

In Matthew 14:9, Herod keeps a rash oath despite its evil — mirroring Jephthah's binding vow here.

In 2 Kings 3:27, a king offers his son as a burnt offering — a parallel to Jephthah's human sacrifice here.

Leviticus 27:28 Historical context

Leviticus 27:28 states devoted things cannot be redeemed — the principle that may have forced Jephthah to fulfill his vow.

Leviticus 27:3 specifies valuations for persons — showing that redemption was possible, unlike Jephthah's literal sacrifice.

In Leviticus 27:12, the priest sets a value for an unclean animal vowed to God — Jephthah's vow lacks any priestly valuation or redemption option.

Psalm 66:13 Contrast

In Psalm 66:13, the psalmist vows to bring burnt offerings to God — a voluntary, joyful fulfillment, contrasting with Jephthah's tragic, unintended vow.

Psalm 66:14 Contrast

In Psalm 66:14, the psalmist speaks of paying vows made in distress — a deliberate fulfillment, unlike Jephthah's rash vow that backfires.

In Genesis 28:20, Jacob makes a conditional vow — 'if God will be with me' — similar to Jephthah's conditional vow here.