Making Vows

Twice in today’s Bible reading* we see people making vows to God. The first is a judge named Jephthah. Although human sacrifice was strictly forbidden to God’s people he made a vow that if God would deliver the Ammonites to him, he promised to sacrifice the first person that went through the doorway when he…

A Portrait of a Biblical Woman

One of the most common mental images of a Biblical woman is that of Proverbs 31. Proverbs 31 describes a woman who takes care of her husband and family while also earning a living in the marketplace. In today’s Bible reading* we see another picture of a Biblical woman. Deborah and Jael are mentioned in…