John Currid says that the “author of Judges neither condemns or praises Jephthah’s acts.” If there is silence in the text, then why are so many scholars quick to assume Jephthah’s sacrifice of his daughter as a literal sacrifice of fire? It appears that the text is not as quick to jump to such a harsh conclusion. In these cases it seems wiser to find clarity in other passages.
In his commentary on Leviticus, Gary North argues that Jephtah’s daughter was devoted to a life of service in the tabernacle (see Lev. 27); it seems she was to take on a role like Anna the prophetess did later on. If she was put to death, then why did she go out and bewail her virginity?