Judges chapter 11 tells of the vow that Yiftach makes to God -- if he is successful in battle he will offer up to God the first thing that comes out of the door of his house to greet him. As we know, this ends badly for his family.
I assume that people in Yiftach's time did not keep livestock in their homes but in barns or pens (as alluded to in Bamidbar 32 when two and a half tribes want to stay on the other side of the Yarden). I've been told, but don't have a source, that until the last century or so Jews didn't tend to have pets. So what might Yiftach have had in mind when he talked about something coming out of his house? (It says beiti, not a more general word for property.) Or is the point that this was not only a dangerous vow but also one that couldn't end well?
Answer
Your question is based on an incorrect supposition. Archaeology has shown that the typical Israelite dwellings during the Iron age were two floors with animals living on the bottom floor.
See here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_room_house
Here's a picture of a model of what they think they looked like: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Israelite_pillared_house.jpg
Generally the houses had a fenced off area around them and the animals would be free to run in and out throughout the day. At night all the animals were brought into the house for protection from predators and thieves.
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