Did Jephthah have in mind human sacrifice when he vowed to present as a burnt offering the first one coming out of his house?

I wonder. Surely he couldn't have imagined it would be his only child when he make that vow! So what DID he have in mind that would come out of his house to meet him on his return? A dog or a servant?

Others may have more insight into this. I hope so. I'd like to know.

No, Jephthah's daughter spent the remainder of her life unmarried and childless serving at the temple where the young women of Israel, her friends would go yearly to give commendation to her. Human sacrifice was unacceptable to the Israelites.

When Jephthah made his vow, did he stop to consider that a person, not a sheep, might come out to meet him? Scholars are divided over the issue.

It seems far more likely that he had animal sacrifice in mind
especially when we consider the VERY husbandry-concerned nature of that society.
Remember: the later Kings David and Saul were both shepherds. It seems extremely likely that most people of substance in that society were wealthy primarily in land and livestock...including Jephthah himself.

It would seem pretty likely that a human would be the first thing to come out of Jephthah's house but I do not know why anyone would make such a promise knowing that to be the case.

No.

And neither did God.

And such a stupid vow was easily ignored and not gone through with, and God wouldn't have done anything obviously. God did want him to do it.

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I'm a saved believer in JESUS, going to heaven! :D

If YOU were god, would you want a dumbass to keep his dumbass promise to sacrifice whatever came out of his house, or would you do the moral thing and let him out of his rash promise?

No. Such a thought would be far from Jephthah’s mind, for the Law stipulated: “There should not be found in you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire.” (Deuteronomy 18:10) However, Jephthah did have in mind a person and not an animal. Animals suitable for sacrifice were not likely kept in Israelite homes. And the offering of an animal would be nothing outstanding. Jephthah was aware that the one coming out of his house to meet him might well be his daughter. This one was to be offered up “as a burnt offering” in that the person would be devoted to Jehovah’s exclusive service in connection with the sanctuary.

I doubt it. He knew that human sacrifice was wrong. I think the original language was bastardized when they translated it to English.

Deuteronomy 12
29 When the Lord thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;
30 Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.
31 Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God: for every abomination to the Lord, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.

No. At that time, when giving a sacrifice, it was a sacrifice of service at gods temple....much like Samuel

No.

According to the Law, since a human, his daughter, greeted him, she was dedicated to service at the temple. And, if she was about to die, the fact that she had never been with a man would have been the last thing anyone cared about.

If an unclean animal, like his cocker spaniel had come out, the law would have requred him to redeem it.

Anyone but him could have emerged.