J — Jephte, ou des sacrifices de sang humain
Original French
Ou des sacrifices de sang humain.
Il est évident par le texte du livre des juges que Jephté promit de sacrifier la première personne qui sortirait de sa maison pour venir le féliciter de sa victoire contre les Ammonites. Sa fille unique vint au devant de lui; il déchira ses vêtements, & il l’immola après lui avoir permis d’aller pleurer sur les montagnes le malheur de mourir vierge. Les filles juives célébrèrent longtemps cette avanture, en pleurant la fille de Jephté pendant quatre jours. ( Voyez chapitre 12 des Juges. )
En quelque temps que cette histoire ait été écrite, qu’elle soit imitée de l’histoire grecque, d’Agamemnon & d’Idoménée, ou qu’elle en soit le modèle, qu’elle soit antérieure ou postérieure à de pareilles histoires Assiriennes, ce n’est pas ce que j’éxamine; je m’en tiens au texte: Jephté voua sa fille en holocauste, & accomplit son vœu.
Il était expressément ordonné par la loi juive, d’immoler les hommes voués au seigneur. Tout homme voué ne sera point racheté, mais sera mis à mort sans rémission. La vulgate traduit, non redimetur, sed morte morietur. Lévitique chap. 27. verset 29.
C’est en vertu de cette loi que Samuël coupa en morceaux le roi Agag, à qui Saül avait pardonné; & c’est même pour avoir épargné Agag, que Saül fut réprouvé du Seigneur, & perdit son royaume.
Voilà donc les sacrifices de sang humain clairement établis; il n’y a aucun point d’histoire mieux constaté; on ne peut juger d’une nation que par ses archives, & par ce qu’elle raporte d’elle-même.
Musean translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation of the 73 articles in the 1764 first edition, made directly from the French and reviewed against the scan-collated French text. The author’s notes, quotations and verse are retained. Historical ethnic labels, including offensive terms, are retained from the 1764 text.
Or, of sacrifices of human blood.
The text of the Book of Judges makes it plain that Jephthah promised to sacrifice the first person who came out of his house to congratulate him on his victory over the Ammonites. His only daughter came to meet him; he tore his garments and sacrificed her, after allowing her to go into the mountains to lament the misfortune of dying a virgin. For a long time Jewish girls commemorated this event by weeping for Jephthah’s daughter for four days. (See chapter 12 of Judges.)
Whenever this story was written, whether it was imitated from the Greek stories of Agamemnon and Idomeneus or served as their model, whether it preceded or followed similar Assyrian stories, is not what I am examining. I keep to the text: Jephthah vowed his daughter as a burnt offering and fulfilled his vow.
Jewish law expressly commanded the sacrifice of men devoted to the Lord. “No man so devoted may be redeemed; he must be put to death without remission.” The Vulgate translates it, non redimetur, sed morte morietur. Leviticus, chap. 27, verse 29.
It was by virtue of this law that Samuel cut to pieces King Agag, whom Saul had pardoned; and it was precisely for sparing Agag that Saul was rejected by the Lord and lost his kingdom.
Here, then, sacrifices of human blood are clearly established. No point of history is better attested. A nation can be judged only by its archives and by what it relates about itself.
Plain English translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Plain English translation of the same 73 articles, made directly from the French and reviewed against the scan-collated French text. The author’s notes, quotations and verse are retained. Historical ethnic labels, including offensive terms, are retained from the 1764 text.
Or, sacrifices of human blood.
The Book of Judges is clear about Jephthah’s promise. He’d sacrifice the first person out of his house to congratulate him on his victory over the Ammonites. His only daughter came to meet him. He tore his clothes. He let her go into the mountains to mourn her misfortune: she would die a virgin. Then he sacrificed her. For a long time, Jewish girls commemorated this event by mourning Jephthah’s daughter for four days. ( See chapter 12 of Judges. )
When was this story written? Did it copy the Greek stories of Agamemnon and Idomeneus, or did they copy it? Did similar Assyrian stories come before it or after it? Those aren’t the questions I’m examining. I stick to the text: Jephthah vowed to offer his daughter as a burnt sacrifice, and kept his vow.
Jewish law explicitly ordered the sacrifice of people promised to the Lord. “No one promised as an offering can be bought back. They must be put to death without pardon.” The Vulgate translates it: “He won’t be bought back, but will be put to death.” Leviticus chap. 27. verse 29.
Samuel followed this law when he cut King Agag to pieces. Saul had pardoned the king. Saul spared Agag. That was the very reason the Lord rejected him and he lost his kingdom.
So sacrifices of human blood are clearly established. No historical fact is more firmly established. We can judge a nation only by its records and by what it reports about itself.
About this section
J — Jephte, ou des sacrifices de sang humain is part of Pocket Philosophical Dictionary by Voltaire. This page sets the French original beside 2 direct-source translations, so any line can be checked against the source. It is article 49 of 73 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
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