Genesis Rabbah on Jephthah’s Daughter
[Concerning the vow of] Jephthah: So it will be, that whatever comes out [of my house to meet me] . . . I will offer it up as a burnt offering to the Lord (Judges 11:31). Even if a donkey or a dog or a cat had come out, he would have offered it as a burnt offering. But the Holy One summoned someone into his presence improperly. Thus it is written: Jephthah came home, and there was his daughter coming out to meet him (Judges 11:34).
Translated by Aaron Samuels.
Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 2: Emerging Judaism.
You may also like
Pseudo-Philo on Jephthah’s Daughter
And God was very angry and said, “Behold Jephthah has vowed that he will offer to me whatever meets him first on the way (Judges 11:31)…
Eluma, Mother of Samson
Now there was a man from the tribe of Dan whose name was Manoah, son of Edoc, son of Odon, son of Eriden, son of Fadesur, son of Dema, son of Susi, son of Dan. And he had a wife whose name was Eluma…
David as Author and Prophet
And David, son of Jesse, was wise, and a light like the light of the sun, /and/ learned, [ ] and discerning, and perfect in all his paths before God and men. And [ ] YHWH gave him a discerning and…
Redeeming David
R. Samuel bar Naḥmani said [that] R. Jonathan said: Anyone who says that David sinned [with Bathsheba] is nothing other than mistaken, as it is stated: And David succeeded in all his ways; and the…
David Sits in Rabbinic Judgment
[A prayer] of David [ . . . ] Keep my soul, for I am pious (Psalm 86:1–2). Levi [ben Sisi] and R. Isaac [debated the meaning of this verse].
One said: So said David before…
Solomon and the Demons
I got myself sharim and sharot, and human pleasures, shidda and shiddot (Ecclesiastes 2:8). [ . . . ]
The Master said: Here they interpreted [shidda and shiddot as—Ed.] male…
You may also like
Pseudo-Philo on Jephthah’s Daughter
And God was very angry and said, “Behold Jephthah has vowed that he will offer to me whatever meets him first on the way (Judges 11:31)…
Eluma, Mother of Samson
Now there was a man from the tribe of Dan whose name was Manoah, son of Edoc, son of Odon, son of Eriden, son of Fadesur, son of Dema, son of Susi, son of Dan. And he had a wife whose name was Eluma…
David as Author and Prophet
And David, son of Jesse, was wise, and a light like the light of the sun, /and/ learned, [ ] and discerning, and perfect in all his paths before God and men. And [ ] YHWH gave him a discerning and…
Redeeming David
R. Samuel bar Naḥmani said [that] R. Jonathan said: Anyone who says that David sinned [with Bathsheba] is nothing other than mistaken, as it is stated: And David succeeded in all his ways; and the…
David Sits in Rabbinic Judgment
[A prayer] of David [ . . . ] Keep my soul, for I am pious (Psalm 86:1–2). Levi [ben Sisi] and R. Isaac [debated the meaning of this verse].
One said: So said David before…
Solomon and the Demons
I got myself sharim and sharot, and human pleasures, shidda and shiddot (Ecclesiastes 2:8). [ . . . ]
The Master said: Here they interpreted [shidda and shiddot as—Ed.] male…