Chris Juby

Every chapter of the Bible in 140 characters or less.

I summarised the Bible on Twitter between Aug 2010 and Nov 2013 - one tweet per chapter, one chapter per day.

The @biblesummary account peaked at over 30,000 followers, and was featured in the news all over the world.

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Judges 11 (in 140 characters or less)

Jephthah vowed to sacrifice whatever came out to meet him if he defeated the Ammonites. His daughter met him so he sacrificed her.

Posted on 17 Mar 2011 to 18,177 followers, with 10 retweets.
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Comments

biblesummary

Ugh. One of my least favourite chapters in the Bible, and the summary makes it sound even more heartless.

DuckTempo

Wait, I think this is wrong. She isn't killed, she just becomes celibate (hence the stuff about 'never able to marry' and being a virgin, etc).

Alert

Ducktempo is correct

chrisjuby

I wish you were right, @DuckTempo and Alert, but I don't think so. Verse 31 is very clear that Jephthah's vow is that he will offer whatever meets him as a burnt offering and verse 39 says that he followed through on what he had vowed.

Spock

Yes a burnt offering - but Moasically correct !7 A sheep, a dove, an animal or whatever in accordance within the law. To sacrifice a son or daughter was forbidden. So therefore it is a given that the sacrifice would be limited, defined & subject to Mosaic Law.

Carole

Jephthah looked to the Lord to settle the land dispute ... V 27 I have not wronged you, but you are doing me wrong by waging war against me. Let the Lord, the Judge, decide the dispute this day between the Israelites and the Ammonites.’

Carl

If I was ever instructed to murder I would reply go to hell! How this book can be referred to as the "Good Book" or "Good News" and instill moral values in children is beyond my understanding. It is difficult for me to expel this one chapter from my thoughts. This and other passages are barbaric.

chrisjuby

Carl, I feel that. But it's misleading to take individual passages out of the context of the overall narrative. The book of Judges is full of tales that illustrate how badly wrong people get things even when the think they're trying to honour God. The author is showing what a desperate moral situation the people of Israel get themselves in, and wants to lead people towards the conclusion that they need a king. Jephthah's actions are definitely not being endorsed.

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