The tale of Jephthah (Judges 11:29-39) is tragic. He makes a vow to sacrifice the first person to emerge from his tent if he defeats the Ammonites and it turns out to be his daughter, his only child.

Is he to be commended for holding true to his vow? Yes, but he was prepared to be unthinkingly ruthless with someone else’s child.

This is the way of those with power I find, and their decisions seldom rebound on them. Asquith losing his son Raymond in the First World War is a rare exception.