Wisdom in Proverbs

Bruce Waltke argues several times in his An Old Testament Theology that the sage’s wisdom is not based “on what theologians call natural theology (901),” and that “creation teaches the impossibility of attaining wisdom apart from special revelation.” He affirms that the “books epistemological foundation, the fear of I AM…by definition entails special revelation (900).”

Waltke on Jephtha’s vow…

Bruce Waltke interprets the language of Judges 11 when he speaks of Jephthah’s only daughter “whom he murders (An Old Testament Theology, pg.607).” He argues later that Jephthah breaks the sixth commandment by sacrificing his daughter, which the Prophets condemn (Jeremiah 19:5). Waltke contends that “in a case of a vow dedicating a child to I AM, the Law calls for monetary payment instead (Lev. 27:1-8).” Indeed if Waltke is correct that Jephthah sacrificed his daughter, then God’s Law repudiates Jephthah’s abhorrent practice.