In Judges 11, Jephthah vows to give whatever comes out of the door of his house as a burnt offering.
Judges 11:30-40 (ESV) [emphases mine]
30 And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD and said, "If you will give the Ammonites into my hand, 31 then whatever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites shall be the LORD’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering."
34 Then Jephthah came to his home at Mizpah. And behold, his daughter came out to meet him with tambourines and with dances.
39 And at the end of two months, she returned to her father, who did with her according to his vow that he had made.
- Did Jephthah really sacrifice his daughter? This clearly couldn't be the will of God (e.g. Jeremiah 7:31, 19:5, 32:35).
- What did Jephthah mean by his vow?
- Surely he knew who lived in his house, and had some expectations on what could come out of the door?