After reading chapter 4:
*Here we have instructions for sin offerings. They are for when any Israelite, even a priest or ruler, sins unintentionally, and it becomes known. Sin is defined as going against any of Yahweh's commandments concerning things which ought not be done. The animal being offered is to be slaughtered in the usual way. This time a priest performs different rituals with the blood. Then the fatty parts of the animal are burnt. The rest of the animal is taken to a special place outside camp and burnt. Then their sins will be forgiven.
*So, Yahweh makes the rules and decides what must be done when the rules are broken, in order for him to forgive the offenders. I imagine it was necessary to set up a system of forgiveness so that he didn't end up annhilating his worshippers, since the punishment for so many sins was death. Without the Israelites he would become obsolete, just like many other ancient gods.
Edited.
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Leviticus chapter 3
After reading chapter 3:
*Here we have instructions for peace offerings, but we have not yet been told the purpose of peace offerings. It seems that the animals are to be slaughtered and the blood sprinkled in the same way that the burnt offering was. This time, however, only the fatty parts were to be burned. It was to be a permanent law that the Israelites were not to eat blood or fat. This was not because God was worried about their cholesterol, it was because the fat belongs to the lord.
*Here we have instructions for peace offerings, but we have not yet been told the purpose of peace offerings. It seems that the animals are to be slaughtered and the blood sprinkled in the same way that the burnt offering was. This time, however, only the fatty parts were to be burned. It was to be a permanent law that the Israelites were not to eat blood or fat. This was not because God was worried about their cholesterol, it was because the fat belongs to the lord.
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Leviticus chapter 2
After reading chapter 2:
*This chapter is about making a grain offering, which is kind of a strange thing for a nomadic desert tribe of over a million people to have to offer. Where did the grain come from? If they had grain, wouldn't it be a precious life sustaining commodity? If they had grain, why would they need manna?
*The grain offering is supposed to be a fine flour. Verse one says the person making the offering is to mix the flour with oil and incense and take it to the priest. Verse two says the priest will take a handful of the offering flour, mix it with the oil and incense and burn it on the altar. The rest will be kept by the priests. Verses one and two contradict each other. I find it interesting that the flour that the priests get to keep is considered the most holy part of the offering
*Guess what. You can make your grain offering from unleavened bread or wafers, but it must be made of fine flour and oil. The priest will take out a "memorial portion" and burn it. The rest he gets to keep for the priesthood. That makes it sooo holy.
*God doesn't like his bread made with yeast or honey, but salt is okay. In fact, they must add the salt of the covenant to all their offerings. The salt of the covenant is also mentioned in Numbers 18:19, but it is unclear what is meant by that from the text.
*A first fruits grain offering is to be crushed heads of new grain with oil and incense. Again, how do you get new grain, if you are not farming the land?
*This chapter is about making a grain offering, which is kind of a strange thing for a nomadic desert tribe of over a million people to have to offer. Where did the grain come from? If they had grain, wouldn't it be a precious life sustaining commodity? If they had grain, why would they need manna?
*The grain offering is supposed to be a fine flour. Verse one says the person making the offering is to mix the flour with oil and incense and take it to the priest. Verse two says the priest will take a handful of the offering flour, mix it with the oil and incense and burn it on the altar. The rest will be kept by the priests. Verses one and two contradict each other. I find it interesting that the flour that the priests get to keep is considered the most holy part of the offering
*Guess what. You can make your grain offering from unleavened bread or wafers, but it must be made of fine flour and oil. The priest will take out a "memorial portion" and burn it. The rest he gets to keep for the priesthood. That makes it sooo holy.
*God doesn't like his bread made with yeast or honey, but salt is okay. In fact, they must add the salt of the covenant to all their offerings. The salt of the covenant is also mentioned in Numbers 18:19, but it is unclear what is meant by that from the text.
*A first fruits grain offering is to be crushed heads of new grain with oil and incense. Again, how do you get new grain, if you are not farming the land?
Leviticus chapter 1
After reading Leviticus chapter 1:
*This book is named Leviticus because it pertains to instructions that are pertinent to the priestly class who are from the clan of Levi.
*In this chapter, Yahweh gives Moses specific detailed instructions for how the Israelites are to sacrifice a bull, a sheep or goat, and a dove or pigeon, as a burnt offering. The person making a livestock offering is to slaughter the animal himself. The priests will sprinkle its blood on the sides of the altar. Then it is to be cut in pieces and washed. All of it is to be burnt up, which begs the question: Why did it need to be washed if it was going to be burnt to a crisp? The birds are to be killed by the priests wringing off their heads. They will drain the blood, remove the digestive system, and tear it open before they burn it. Apparently God doesn't like blood or guts in his offerings. When it is done the way he likes it, the burnt offering will smell great to him, even though he can't eat it. Neither can anyone else, which is a waste of good meat.
Edited.
*This book is named Leviticus because it pertains to instructions that are pertinent to the priestly class who are from the clan of Levi.
*In this chapter, Yahweh gives Moses specific detailed instructions for how the Israelites are to sacrifice a bull, a sheep or goat, and a dove or pigeon, as a burnt offering. The person making a livestock offering is to slaughter the animal himself. The priests will sprinkle its blood on the sides of the altar. Then it is to be cut in pieces and washed. All of it is to be burnt up, which begs the question: Why did it need to be washed if it was going to be burnt to a crisp? The birds are to be killed by the priests wringing off their heads. They will drain the blood, remove the digestive system, and tear it open before they burn it. Apparently God doesn't like blood or guts in his offerings. When it is done the way he likes it, the burnt offering will smell great to him, even though he can't eat it. Neither can anyone else, which is a waste of good meat.
Edited.
Introducing Leviticus
Please read the Wikipedia article on Leviticus.
Notice that the author(s) of the book of Leviticus are unknown. One of the oldest pieces of The Torah known to exist is a burnt scrap of the second chapter of Leviticus, dated from the 5th or 6th century C. E. Some older portions of Leviticus are found in the Dead Sea Scrolls. They date from the first to third centuries B.C.E.
I would like to remind the readers that, for the most part, I will be disregarding any extra-biblical oral or written religious traditions. As far as is possible, this is a "just the facts" kind of study. Many Protestant denominations hold that the bible is inerrant, factual, and written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. They often claim the position that the bible is all you need to know the truth about reality, where it came from, and where it is going. So, my goal is to measure what we read in Leviticus against what we can find out about the reality of history, science, and every day life.
Edited 10/20/15 for fact corrections.
Notice that the author(s) of the book of Leviticus are unknown. One of the oldest pieces of The Torah known to exist is a burnt scrap of the second chapter of Leviticus, dated from the 5th or 6th century C. E. Some older portions of Leviticus are found in the Dead Sea Scrolls. They date from the first to third centuries B.C.E.
I would like to remind the readers that, for the most part, I will be disregarding any extra-biblical oral or written religious traditions. As far as is possible, this is a "just the facts" kind of study. Many Protestant denominations hold that the bible is inerrant, factual, and written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. They often claim the position that the bible is all you need to know the truth about reality, where it came from, and where it is going. So, my goal is to measure what we read in Leviticus against what we can find out about the reality of history, science, and every day life.
Edited 10/20/15 for fact corrections.
Wrapping up Exodus
*In this book, we find no information about Satan, demons, heaven, hell, or an afterlife. People still lived an unusual length of time, into their 130's. Rewards and punishments are earthly. Death and excommunication are common forms of punishment.
* Angels rarely appear. Sometimes they are called Angels of the lord and speak to Moses. One was around the burning bush. One is called the destroyer, and kills the Egyptian first born. The one that will go ahead of the Israelites and pester the people in the promised land is called God's terror and the hornet. Angels no longer appear in human like bodies.
*There is no concrete extra- biblical evidence for any of the events or main characters. The Pharoahs of Exodus are not named and it is impossible to know who they might have been. The archaeology of the relevant time periods give no indication of any event similar to the exodus. There is no evidence of a series of plagues or the sudden departure of over a million people. There is no evidence that Moses ever existed. There is no physical evidence that over a million people and their flocks, wandered around in the desert at that time. If nothing else, there should be numerous piles of quail bones.
*The events surrounding the Exodus would have caused a major economic collapse for the Egyptians. There is no evidence of such a collapse. Over a million people (The population of Austin, Texas.) living, camping, and traveling together in the desert is a practical impossibility.
*The book speaks of Moses and the events in Exodus in third person, and displays knowledge of events beyond the lifetime of Moses. It can not have been written by Moses. If it was, it would not have been written in Hebrew. Archaeological evidence suggests that the Israelites originated in Canaan and did not spend any significant time in Egypt. Also, the book does not claim to be the word of God.
*The Israelites are said to be hungry and are given manna from heaven, yet they have animals enough for a significant number of sacrifices. They also have flour for unleavened bread.
*The tabernacle and religious paraphernalia is very similar to those things used by other ancient religions. The verses claimed to be the Ten Commandments do not appear to be anything like the traditional commandments we have come to know. Three yearly feasts and the observance of the Sabbath have been instituted and an elite priesthood has been established.
Note: I thank you if you have been reading along. Please feel free to share this site with others you think might be interested. Next up- Leviticus. That promises to be interesting. As with Genesis and Exodus, I will try to read it as though I am encountering it with fresh eyes. We will keep looking at how it measures up to reality.
Edited to add an interesting video that I've watched recently: Matt Dilihunty in Atheist Debates- Patterns of Evidence: Exodus.
* Angels rarely appear. Sometimes they are called Angels of the lord and speak to Moses. One was around the burning bush. One is called the destroyer, and kills the Egyptian first born. The one that will go ahead of the Israelites and pester the people in the promised land is called God's terror and the hornet. Angels no longer appear in human like bodies.
*There is no concrete extra- biblical evidence for any of the events or main characters. The Pharoahs of Exodus are not named and it is impossible to know who they might have been. The archaeology of the relevant time periods give no indication of any event similar to the exodus. There is no evidence of a series of plagues or the sudden departure of over a million people. There is no evidence that Moses ever existed. There is no physical evidence that over a million people and their flocks, wandered around in the desert at that time. If nothing else, there should be numerous piles of quail bones.
*The events surrounding the Exodus would have caused a major economic collapse for the Egyptians. There is no evidence of such a collapse. Over a million people (The population of Austin, Texas.) living, camping, and traveling together in the desert is a practical impossibility.
*The book speaks of Moses and the events in Exodus in third person, and displays knowledge of events beyond the lifetime of Moses. It can not have been written by Moses. If it was, it would not have been written in Hebrew. Archaeological evidence suggests that the Israelites originated in Canaan and did not spend any significant time in Egypt. Also, the book does not claim to be the word of God.
*The Israelites are said to be hungry and are given manna from heaven, yet they have animals enough for a significant number of sacrifices. They also have flour for unleavened bread.
*The tabernacle and religious paraphernalia is very similar to those things used by other ancient religions. The verses claimed to be the Ten Commandments do not appear to be anything like the traditional commandments we have come to know. Three yearly feasts and the observance of the Sabbath have been instituted and an elite priesthood has been established.
Note: I thank you if you have been reading along. Please feel free to share this site with others you think might be interested. Next up- Leviticus. That promises to be interesting. As with Genesis and Exodus, I will try to read it as though I am encountering it with fresh eyes. We will keep looking at how it measures up to reality.
Edited to add an interesting video that I've watched recently: Matt Dilihunty in Atheist Debates- Patterns of Evidence: Exodus.
Monday, September 28, 2015
The God of Exodus
Now that we are finished with Exodus, let's look at how God was portrayed in that book.
*God (Yahweh) speaks only to Moses, most of the time, but everyone else is expected to believe him. The Egyptians and the Israelites do not appear to have heard of Yahweh before. It is explained that he is the same God Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob worshipped, but they called him God almighty. It seems that Yahweh had not appeared to anyone else for over 400 years. He considers the Israelites his " first born."
* God says his name is "I am" but the Hebrew Scriptures, including Exodus, call him Yahweh, which supposedly means " he is."
*God talks from a burning bush that is not burnt up, on a mountain that belongs to him. He tries to kill Moses for an unknown reason, but stops when Zipporah touches Moses with their son's foreskin. He sends plagues and hardens Pharoah's heart. He puts power in Moses's staff.
*He travels in a pillar of cloud and fire, and looks down from it. He does not concern himself with any other people besides the Israelites. In fact, he favors them to the extent of promising to drive people groups out of their homelands so the Israelites can take over. He still expects animal sacrifices, and still likes the smell of burnt offerings. He expects people to wave some offerings in front of him.
*God is personally responsible for the deaths of all the first born males in Egypt, plus their livestock. He is also responsible for the deaths of over six hundred Egyptian soldiers.
*Chapter 15 says Yahweh is a warrior. He says he is a jealous God. All other gods must not be worshipped, but he does not say they don't exist. He expects obedience, or death is likely to ensue. He gets angry with the Israelites but Moses is able to talk him out of destroying them.
*God says he is compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, but he will punish children for the sins of the fathers down to the third and fourth generation.
*In various places, God is said to have a hand, a finger, feet, a back, and a face. They seem to be literal in context. He also has something called "glory" which people can not look at. He can speak, hear and smell, but does not seem to do any walking, eating, or other physical activity. He also carves stone with his finger. Conversing with him makes Moses glow.
*He gives elaborate instructions for the construction of religious items to be used in his service.
*God (Yahweh) speaks only to Moses, most of the time, but everyone else is expected to believe him. The Egyptians and the Israelites do not appear to have heard of Yahweh before. It is explained that he is the same God Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob worshipped, but they called him God almighty. It seems that Yahweh had not appeared to anyone else for over 400 years. He considers the Israelites his " first born."
* God says his name is "I am" but the Hebrew Scriptures, including Exodus, call him Yahweh, which supposedly means " he is."
*God talks from a burning bush that is not burnt up, on a mountain that belongs to him. He tries to kill Moses for an unknown reason, but stops when Zipporah touches Moses with their son's foreskin. He sends plagues and hardens Pharoah's heart. He puts power in Moses's staff.
*He travels in a pillar of cloud and fire, and looks down from it. He does not concern himself with any other people besides the Israelites. In fact, he favors them to the extent of promising to drive people groups out of their homelands so the Israelites can take over. He still expects animal sacrifices, and still likes the smell of burnt offerings. He expects people to wave some offerings in front of him.
*God is personally responsible for the deaths of all the first born males in Egypt, plus their livestock. He is also responsible for the deaths of over six hundred Egyptian soldiers.
*Chapter 15 says Yahweh is a warrior. He says he is a jealous God. All other gods must not be worshipped, but he does not say they don't exist. He expects obedience, or death is likely to ensue. He gets angry with the Israelites but Moses is able to talk him out of destroying them.
*God says he is compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, but he will punish children for the sins of the fathers down to the third and fourth generation.
*In various places, God is said to have a hand, a finger, feet, a back, and a face. They seem to be literal in context. He also has something called "glory" which people can not look at. He can speak, hear and smell, but does not seem to do any walking, eating, or other physical activity. He also carves stone with his finger. Conversing with him makes Moses glow.
*He gives elaborate instructions for the construction of religious items to be used in his service.
Exodus chapter 40:
After reading chapter 40:
*Yahweh told Moses how to set up the tabernacle and all its paraphernalia on the first day of the month. Then, Aaron and his sons were to be washed, anointed, and clothed in the priestly garments. All that was done on the first day of the first month of the second year from the time the Israelites left Egypt. The tablets of the covenant were placed in the ark. When everything was finished being set up, the cloud settled on the tabernacle and the glory of the lord filled it. Because of this, Moses could not enter the tabernacle.
*From then on, whenever the cloud rose off the tabernacle, it was time for the Israelites to pack up and move on. Otherwise, they stayed put.
That marks the end of the book of Exodus.
*Yahweh told Moses how to set up the tabernacle and all its paraphernalia on the first day of the month. Then, Aaron and his sons were to be washed, anointed, and clothed in the priestly garments. All that was done on the first day of the first month of the second year from the time the Israelites left Egypt. The tablets of the covenant were placed in the ark. When everything was finished being set up, the cloud settled on the tabernacle and the glory of the lord filled it. Because of this, Moses could not enter the tabernacle.
*From then on, whenever the cloud rose off the tabernacle, it was time for the Israelites to pack up and move on. Otherwise, they stayed put.
That marks the end of the book of Exodus.
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Exodus chapter 39:
After reading chapter 39:
*Next we are told about the construction of the priestly garments, the ephod, the breastpiece, the tunics, robes, turban, etc. When all the work was done, everything was brought to Moses for inspection. It all passed the quality assurance test. So, Moses blessed them.
*Next we are told about the construction of the priestly garments, the ephod, the breastpiece, the tunics, robes, turban, etc. When all the work was done, everything was brought to Moses for inspection. It all passed the quality assurance test. So, Moses blessed them.
Exodus chapter 38
After reading chapter 38:
*Next they made the altar for burnt offerings. They also made a bronze basin out of donated mirrors, from women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. How they served there is not explained.
*Then they made the courtyard, repeating previous instructions. We are told the amounts of gold, silver and bronze donated as wave offerings, and told what it was used for. The census revealed exactly 603,550 men over the age of twenty. Was that before or after the slaughter of the 3,000 by the Levites?
*Next they made the altar for burnt offerings. They also made a bronze basin out of donated mirrors, from women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. How they served there is not explained.
*Then they made the courtyard, repeating previous instructions. We are told the amounts of gold, silver and bronze donated as wave offerings, and told what it was used for. The census revealed exactly 603,550 men over the age of twenty. Was that before or after the slaughter of the 3,000 by the Levites?
Exodus chapter 37
After reading chapter 37:
*The work progresses on the ark, the table, dishes, tools, lamp stand, lamps, altar of incense, anointing oil, and incense. It is basically a repetition of previous instructions.
*The work progresses on the ark, the table, dishes, tools, lamp stand, lamps, altar of incense, anointing oil, and incense. It is basically a repetition of previous instructions.
Exodus chapter 36
After reading chapter 36:
*Again, we are told Bezalel and Oholiab are overseeing the work and the Israelites are making donations. The repetition in the first few verses is tiresome. Then we are told that more than enough stuff was donated, so Moses informed the people they could stop bringing new materials.
*All the parts of the tabernacle were constructed and we are again given specific details that are basically a repetition of the previous instructions.
*Again, we are told Bezalel and Oholiab are overseeing the work and the Israelites are making donations. The repetition in the first few verses is tiresome. Then we are told that more than enough stuff was donated, so Moses informed the people they could stop bringing new materials.
*All the parts of the tabernacle were constructed and we are again given specific details that are basically a repetition of the previous instructions.
Saturday, September 26, 2015
Exodus chapter 34 part 2, and chapter 35.
Somehow I missed that verses 29-35 were part of chapter 34.
*When Moses came down from the mountain with the second set of tablets, he didn't realize his face was glowing because he had talked to Yahweh. That's not surprising, considering that it hadn't glowed all the other times he talked to God. The glow understandably scared Aaron and the Israelites. After Moses told the Israelites what God had commanded, he covered his face with a veil. Whenever he spoke to God he took the veil off. Whenever he wasn't speaking to God, he wore the veil.
After reading chapter 35:
*Moses assembled the Israelites to tell them about Sabbath regulations. They can't work or light fires, or they will be put to death. We've seen a lot of this info before, but that was God telling Moses. Now we have Moses telling the people. I wonder how easy it was to communicate while speaking from under a veil.
*Moses also explained about the construction of the priestly garments and tabernacle. After that, the people brought offerings and began work on the tabernacle and sacred garments. Many people presented gifts of gold and jewelry as "wave offerings." That means they waved it in front of God. Skilled artisans, men and women, worked on all the required objects. The Israelites were also told about Bazalel and Oholiab being the leaders and teachers of the skilled workers.
Edited.
*When Moses came down from the mountain with the second set of tablets, he didn't realize his face was glowing because he had talked to Yahweh. That's not surprising, considering that it hadn't glowed all the other times he talked to God. The glow understandably scared Aaron and the Israelites. After Moses told the Israelites what God had commanded, he covered his face with a veil. Whenever he spoke to God he took the veil off. Whenever he wasn't speaking to God, he wore the veil.
After reading chapter 35:
*Moses assembled the Israelites to tell them about Sabbath regulations. They can't work or light fires, or they will be put to death. We've seen a lot of this info before, but that was God telling Moses. Now we have Moses telling the people. I wonder how easy it was to communicate while speaking from under a veil.
*Moses also explained about the construction of the priestly garments and tabernacle. After that, the people brought offerings and began work on the tabernacle and sacred garments. Many people presented gifts of gold and jewelry as "wave offerings." That means they waved it in front of God. Skilled artisans, men and women, worked on all the required objects. The Israelites were also told about Bazalel and Oholiab being the leaders and teachers of the skilled workers.
Edited.
Exodus chapter 34
After reading chapter 34:
*Yahweh told Moses to chisel out two stone tablets to replace the ones he smashed. Now we know those were stone also. Moses was to go back up the mountain alone and no one else was to go anywhere near it. So, Moses did that and God came down in the cloud and stood there with him.
*Now we see God proclaiming his personal attributes to Moses. He is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin. BUT...he does not leave the guilty unpunished. He punishes the children for the sins of the father to the third and fourth generations. Maybe it's just me, but the second part seems to negate any benefit of the first part. Why should I obey a god if I'm going to be punished for all the sins of my forefathers anyway?
*So, Moses again begs God to go with the Israelites, in spite of their disobedience. Again, God says he is making a covenant with them and will drive out the people living in the lands they are going to. However, they must break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and cut down their Asherah poles. There is to be no worshipping of any other gods. Apparently, Yahweh has another name and it is Jealous. Why doesn't he just tell them that no other gods actually exist?
*There are to be no treaties with the inhabitants of the land. This might lead to them participating in sacrifices to other gods. They might also marry their sons to the daughters of people other faiths. This could lead the sons to worship the other gods. Here the worship of other gods is metaphorically, not literally, equated with prostitution.
*There are more instructions that have been given before, Moses writes them down on the tablet, these are the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments. Let's take a look at them:
1. Do not worship any other god. (Verse 14)
2. Do not make cast idols. (Verse 17)
3. Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened bread. ( verse 18)
4. The first offspring of every womb belongs to God.(verse 19)
5. Six days shall you labor but on the seventh day you shall rest (verse 21)
6. No one is to appear before God empty handed. ( verse 20)
7. Celebrate the Feast of Weeks at the wheat harvest and the Feast of Ingathering at the turn of the year. ( verse 22)
8. Do not offer the blood of a sacrifice along with anything containing yeast and do not let any of the
Passover feast remain until morning. ( verse 25)
9. Bring the best of the first fruits of your soil to the house of the lord your God.(verse 26)
10. Do not cook a young goat in its mother's milk. (Verse 26)
Does this look anything like the Ten Commandments you have seen before?
*Yahweh told Moses to chisel out two stone tablets to replace the ones he smashed. Now we know those were stone also. Moses was to go back up the mountain alone and no one else was to go anywhere near it. So, Moses did that and God came down in the cloud and stood there with him.
*Now we see God proclaiming his personal attributes to Moses. He is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin. BUT...he does not leave the guilty unpunished. He punishes the children for the sins of the father to the third and fourth generations. Maybe it's just me, but the second part seems to negate any benefit of the first part. Why should I obey a god if I'm going to be punished for all the sins of my forefathers anyway?
*So, Moses again begs God to go with the Israelites, in spite of their disobedience. Again, God says he is making a covenant with them and will drive out the people living in the lands they are going to. However, they must break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and cut down their Asherah poles. There is to be no worshipping of any other gods. Apparently, Yahweh has another name and it is Jealous. Why doesn't he just tell them that no other gods actually exist?
*There are to be no treaties with the inhabitants of the land. This might lead to them participating in sacrifices to other gods. They might also marry their sons to the daughters of people other faiths. This could lead the sons to worship the other gods. Here the worship of other gods is metaphorically, not literally, equated with prostitution.
*There are more instructions that have been given before, Moses writes them down on the tablet, these are the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments. Let's take a look at them:
1. Do not worship any other god. (Verse 14)
2. Do not make cast idols. (Verse 17)
3. Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened bread. ( verse 18)
4. The first offspring of every womb belongs to God.(verse 19)
5. Six days shall you labor but on the seventh day you shall rest (verse 21)
6. No one is to appear before God empty handed. ( verse 20)
7. Celebrate the Feast of Weeks at the wheat harvest and the Feast of Ingathering at the turn of the year. ( verse 22)
8. Do not offer the blood of a sacrifice along with anything containing yeast and do not let any of the
Passover feast remain until morning. ( verse 25)
9. Bring the best of the first fruits of your soil to the house of the lord your God.(verse 26)
10. Do not cook a young goat in its mother's milk. (Verse 26)
Does this look anything like the Ten Commandments you have seen before?
Friday, September 25, 2015
Exodus chapter 33
After reading chapter 33:
*Now, God tells Moses to leave that area and head for the promised land. He will send an angel ahead to drive out the inhabitants. However, God would not go with them and might even destroy them. This upset the Israelites and they obeyed God when he told them to take off all their ornaments, which I assume is jewelry and aceesories. What difference does jewlry make to God? Objects only have value that people give them.
*Now we are told about a "tent of meeting" that Moses had outside the camp. He went there to meet with Yahweh and speak with him face to face. (Does this mean God has a face, as well as a finger that writes, and feet that can stand?) When Moses walked through the camp on the way to the tent of meeting, everyone would rise to their feet. They would stay standing while Moses was speaking to God, which would be signified by a pillar of cloud at the tent entrance. So, why did Moses need to go up on the mountain earlier if he could just speak to God at this tent?
*Earlier, God had said he would not go with the Israelites to the promised land. Now, Moses pleads for Yahweh to go with them. Otherwise, what would distinguish the Israelites from any other people? Once again, God changes his mind because he is pleased with Moses. Then Moses asked to see God's glory. Yahweh says he will cause all his goodness to pass in front of Moses, but Moses cannot see his face, because no one can see it and live. Wait a minute there. Verse 11 of this chapter says Moses spoke to Yahweh face to face. Chapter 24, verse 9, says that 74 people saw him. Multiple people were said to have seen him in the book of Genesis.
*Anyway, God told Moses that he could stand in the cleft of a rock while God passed by. God would cover Moses with his hand until he had passed. Then, when he removed his hand, Moses would see his back. All right. Does this mean God has a hand big enough to cover a person? And how can he be covering Moses and passing by at the same time? Plus, God has a back? Why would the face of God kill someone? Couldn't a God make it so that his face was non- lethal?
Notice: I've opened up comments. They will be moderated.
*Now, God tells Moses to leave that area and head for the promised land. He will send an angel ahead to drive out the inhabitants. However, God would not go with them and might even destroy them. This upset the Israelites and they obeyed God when he told them to take off all their ornaments, which I assume is jewelry and aceesories. What difference does jewlry make to God? Objects only have value that people give them.
*Now we are told about a "tent of meeting" that Moses had outside the camp. He went there to meet with Yahweh and speak with him face to face. (Does this mean God has a face, as well as a finger that writes, and feet that can stand?) When Moses walked through the camp on the way to the tent of meeting, everyone would rise to their feet. They would stay standing while Moses was speaking to God, which would be signified by a pillar of cloud at the tent entrance. So, why did Moses need to go up on the mountain earlier if he could just speak to God at this tent?
*Earlier, God had said he would not go with the Israelites to the promised land. Now, Moses pleads for Yahweh to go with them. Otherwise, what would distinguish the Israelites from any other people? Once again, God changes his mind because he is pleased with Moses. Then Moses asked to see God's glory. Yahweh says he will cause all his goodness to pass in front of Moses, but Moses cannot see his face, because no one can see it and live. Wait a minute there. Verse 11 of this chapter says Moses spoke to Yahweh face to face. Chapter 24, verse 9, says that 74 people saw him. Multiple people were said to have seen him in the book of Genesis.
*Anyway, God told Moses that he could stand in the cleft of a rock while God passed by. God would cover Moses with his hand until he had passed. Then, when he removed his hand, Moses would see his back. All right. Does this mean God has a hand big enough to cover a person? And how can he be covering Moses and passing by at the same time? Plus, God has a back? Why would the face of God kill someone? Couldn't a God make it so that his face was non- lethal?
Notice: I've opened up comments. They will be moderated.
Exodus chapter 32
After reading chapter 32:
*Moses was up on the mountain for a long time. Understandably, the Israelites began to wonder what had happened to him. Aaron took things in his own hands and fashioned a golden calf idol out of donations of gold from the Israelites. It was announced that this was the God that brought them out of Egypt. Aaron built an altar in front of the calf and announced a festival. The next day they made animal sacrifices and had a big barbecue, and possibly an orgy, though that is not clear.
*Yahweh told Moses it was time he went back and saw what the Israelites were doing. God was so angry that he wanted to destroy the Israelites and make Moses into a great nation. ( Didn't God know that would happen? ) Moses had to calm God down by reminding him that the Israelites were his special people and he had already done so much for them that he couldn't give up on them now. God cooled off and Moses went down the mountain.
*So, Moses went down the mountain with the tablets that had been engraved by God. Joshua, who had gone with Moses, but apparently was not privy to the conversation between God and Moses, heard the noise from the camp and thought it was the sounds of war. Moses knew it was a party. Still, like a parent coming home and finding out the children had taken over, he got angry. He smashed the tablets of testimony on the ground. Then, he took the idol, burned it, ground the ashes into powder, sprinkled the powder on the water, and made the Israelites drink it.
*Then Moses berated Aaron, who practiced a little blame shifting and verbal gymnastics. Things were out of control, so Moses stood at the entrance of the camp and said that anyone on Yahweh's side was to stand by him. The Levites ( read priests) all rallied around Moses. Who can blame them, the priests were the favored group. I'm sure they didn't want to lose their benefits.
*What happens next is extraordinarily disturbing. Moses told the Levites that Yahweh was ordering them to take swords and make their way through the camp indiscriminately slaughtering people. How is this not murder, which God is supposedly against? Three thousand people were killed. Even more extraordinary, the Levites were praised for killing their own family members in service to God!
*The next day, Moses went back to Yahweh and offered to have himself blotted out of god's book. We are not told what that means. God said he would blot out whoever sinned against him. Moses was to continue to lead the people to the promised land. Then God struck the Israelites with a plague because of their behavior with the golden calf.
*It was fascinating for me to find out that the original tablets Moses was given were not the Ten Commandments at all. My study bible says they were probably two copies of the agreement between God and the Israelites, one for God, one for the people, if everything happened the way the bible says.
*Moses was up on the mountain for a long time. Understandably, the Israelites began to wonder what had happened to him. Aaron took things in his own hands and fashioned a golden calf idol out of donations of gold from the Israelites. It was announced that this was the God that brought them out of Egypt. Aaron built an altar in front of the calf and announced a festival. The next day they made animal sacrifices and had a big barbecue, and possibly an orgy, though that is not clear.
*Yahweh told Moses it was time he went back and saw what the Israelites were doing. God was so angry that he wanted to destroy the Israelites and make Moses into a great nation. ( Didn't God know that would happen? ) Moses had to calm God down by reminding him that the Israelites were his special people and he had already done so much for them that he couldn't give up on them now. God cooled off and Moses went down the mountain.
*So, Moses went down the mountain with the tablets that had been engraved by God. Joshua, who had gone with Moses, but apparently was not privy to the conversation between God and Moses, heard the noise from the camp and thought it was the sounds of war. Moses knew it was a party. Still, like a parent coming home and finding out the children had taken over, he got angry. He smashed the tablets of testimony on the ground. Then, he took the idol, burned it, ground the ashes into powder, sprinkled the powder on the water, and made the Israelites drink it.
*Then Moses berated Aaron, who practiced a little blame shifting and verbal gymnastics. Things were out of control, so Moses stood at the entrance of the camp and said that anyone on Yahweh's side was to stand by him. The Levites ( read priests) all rallied around Moses. Who can blame them, the priests were the favored group. I'm sure they didn't want to lose their benefits.
*What happens next is extraordinarily disturbing. Moses told the Levites that Yahweh was ordering them to take swords and make their way through the camp indiscriminately slaughtering people. How is this not murder, which God is supposedly against? Three thousand people were killed. Even more extraordinary, the Levites were praised for killing their own family members in service to God!
*The next day, Moses went back to Yahweh and offered to have himself blotted out of god's book. We are not told what that means. God said he would blot out whoever sinned against him. Moses was to continue to lead the people to the promised land. Then God struck the Israelites with a plague because of their behavior with the golden calf.
*It was fascinating for me to find out that the original tablets Moses was given were not the Ten Commandments at all. My study bible says they were probably two copies of the agreement between God and the Israelites, one for God, one for the people, if everything happened the way the bible says.
Exodus chapter 31
After reading chapter 31:
*Yahweh assigns Bezalel, Oholiab and other craftsmen to work on all the articles for the priests and tabernacle. Their ability to make these things was supposedly a gift from God, not because of their own personal hard work, talent, and skill.
*Next are instructions about observing the Sabbath. Anyone who desecrates it is to be executed. Any one who works on that day is to be cut off from the rest of the Israelites. Harsh. I wonder how many Jews have actually been executed or excommunicated for working on a Sabbath. I wonder how many secretly did what was considered work. The Sabbath is to take place every seventh day. This is another everlasting covenant.
*Then, Yahweh gives Moses the two tablets of the testimony, which he had inscribed using his finger. Here I notice that the text does not say exactly what is written on those tablets. Is it all the ordinances God has recently given Moses? It does not say they are the Ten Commandments. So far, we haven't even come across the phrase "Ten Commandments." We are also not told what the tablets are made of. God can write with his finger! How cool is that?!
*Yahweh assigns Bezalel, Oholiab and other craftsmen to work on all the articles for the priests and tabernacle. Their ability to make these things was supposedly a gift from God, not because of their own personal hard work, talent, and skill.
*Next are instructions about observing the Sabbath. Anyone who desecrates it is to be executed. Any one who works on that day is to be cut off from the rest of the Israelites. Harsh. I wonder how many Jews have actually been executed or excommunicated for working on a Sabbath. I wonder how many secretly did what was considered work. The Sabbath is to take place every seventh day. This is another everlasting covenant.
*Then, Yahweh gives Moses the two tablets of the testimony, which he had inscribed using his finger. Here I notice that the text does not say exactly what is written on those tablets. Is it all the ordinances God has recently given Moses? It does not say they are the Ten Commandments. So far, we haven't even come across the phrase "Ten Commandments." We are also not told what the tablets are made of. God can write with his finger! How cool is that?!
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Exodus chapter 30
After reading chapter 30:
*Next we have instructions for constructing an altar for burning incense and where to put it. Aaron must burn incense every morning and evening. Once a year he dabbles blood on the altar it to keep it holy.
*Then we have instructions for a kind of poll tax whenever a census is taken. Every one who is older than twenty years is to give half a shekel to the lord, to atone for their lives. The money is to be used in service of the tabernacle. In other words, the priests will get it. 600,000 men left Egypt. That's 300,000 shekels, a nice tidy sum.
*There is also to be a bronze basin for the priests to wash their hands and feet before they enter the tabernacle, or else they will die. This is another lasting ordinance. Because God is a germaphobe.
*Then we have instructions for the mixing of a special anointing oil. It will be used on the tabernacle, the ark, the table and its accessories, and the basin. This will make them holy. Aaron and his sons are also to be anointed. That special formula of anointing oil is just for the priests, no other Israelites. Any one who makes similar oil and puts it on will be cut off from the rest of the Israelites.
*Last, we have instructions for how to make holy incense. This formula is also reserved for the priesthood. Anyone who makes similar incense and uses it will be cut off from the rest of the Israelites. This shows what kinds of things are most important to Yahweh, and keeps the priesthood an elite institution.
Edited.
*Next we have instructions for constructing an altar for burning incense and where to put it. Aaron must burn incense every morning and evening. Once a year he dabbles blood on the altar it to keep it holy.
*Then we have instructions for a kind of poll tax whenever a census is taken. Every one who is older than twenty years is to give half a shekel to the lord, to atone for their lives. The money is to be used in service of the tabernacle. In other words, the priests will get it. 600,000 men left Egypt. That's 300,000 shekels, a nice tidy sum.
*There is also to be a bronze basin for the priests to wash their hands and feet before they enter the tabernacle, or else they will die. This is another lasting ordinance. Because God is a germaphobe.
*Then we have instructions for the mixing of a special anointing oil. It will be used on the tabernacle, the ark, the table and its accessories, and the basin. This will make them holy. Aaron and his sons are also to be anointed. That special formula of anointing oil is just for the priests, no other Israelites. Any one who makes similar oil and puts it on will be cut off from the rest of the Israelites.
*Last, we have instructions for how to make holy incense. This formula is also reserved for the priesthood. Anyone who makes similar incense and uses it will be cut off from the rest of the Israelites. This shows what kinds of things are most important to Yahweh, and keeps the priesthood an elite institution.
Edited.
Exodus chapter 29
After reading chapter 29:
*This chapter is about the consecration of particular people and things. Consecration means dedicating that thing to God and making it holy. Holyness is an abstract idea that basically means uber special, so special that it is only for particular, people, places, or times. The specialness seems to exist just because God said so.
*The first things to be consecrated were Aaron and his sons, and their garments. First, instructions are given about washing and dressing them. Then there are instructions about sacrificing a bull as a sin offering. Only the fat is to be burnt on the altar. The rest is to be burnt outside the camp. Next are instructions for the sacrifice of a ram. The whole thing is to be burnt on the altar because God likes the smell of burnt ram. Next, another ram is to be slaughtered. This time, some of its blood is to be put on the right ears, right thumbs, and right big toes of Aaron and his sons. Then blood and oil are to be sprinkled on the beautiful priestly garments of Aaron and his sons. Tada! Now they are consecrated.
*From the last ram, they are to take the fat and the right thigh. They are also to take a loaf of unleavened bread, a cake made with oil, and a wafer. Aaron and his sons are to wave them all in front of Yahweh, who is hovering over the ark, as a "wave offering." Then, they will burn those things on the altar because God likes the smell. (Hey, I'm not making this stuff up.) They will also wave the breast of the ram before the lord, then they get to eat it. From now on, Aaron and his sons get to keep the breast of a sacrificed ram. It is their holy share of the fellowship offerings the Israelites will make to God, a perk of the priesthood.
*Aaron's sacred garments will be handed down to his descendants. The priesthood is an inherited office. No one else may eat any sacrificed meat associated with a priest's ordination, because it is holy. The altar is to be made holy by sacrificing a bull on it every day for seven days. After that, anything that touches the altar will be holy. Every day two lambs will be sacrificed on the altar, one in the morning and one at twilight, along with offerings of flour, oil, and wine. God will enjoy the smell of these things burning. This is to be done regularly so that the tabernacle, the altar, and the priests will be holy. Yahweh will speak to them and live with them and be their God. Plus, the priests will have a daily supply of the best meat available.
*That's an awful lot of meat from a people who have nothing to eat but manna. Just for the consecration a and ordinations eight Bulls and two Rams were killed. The daily sacrifice would make over 700 lambs a year.
*This chapter is about the consecration of particular people and things. Consecration means dedicating that thing to God and making it holy. Holyness is an abstract idea that basically means uber special, so special that it is only for particular, people, places, or times. The specialness seems to exist just because God said so.
*The first things to be consecrated were Aaron and his sons, and their garments. First, instructions are given about washing and dressing them. Then there are instructions about sacrificing a bull as a sin offering. Only the fat is to be burnt on the altar. The rest is to be burnt outside the camp. Next are instructions for the sacrifice of a ram. The whole thing is to be burnt on the altar because God likes the smell of burnt ram. Next, another ram is to be slaughtered. This time, some of its blood is to be put on the right ears, right thumbs, and right big toes of Aaron and his sons. Then blood and oil are to be sprinkled on the beautiful priestly garments of Aaron and his sons. Tada! Now they are consecrated.
*From the last ram, they are to take the fat and the right thigh. They are also to take a loaf of unleavened bread, a cake made with oil, and a wafer. Aaron and his sons are to wave them all in front of Yahweh, who is hovering over the ark, as a "wave offering." Then, they will burn those things on the altar because God likes the smell. (Hey, I'm not making this stuff up.) They will also wave the breast of the ram before the lord, then they get to eat it. From now on, Aaron and his sons get to keep the breast of a sacrificed ram. It is their holy share of the fellowship offerings the Israelites will make to God, a perk of the priesthood.
*Aaron's sacred garments will be handed down to his descendants. The priesthood is an inherited office. No one else may eat any sacrificed meat associated with a priest's ordination, because it is holy. The altar is to be made holy by sacrificing a bull on it every day for seven days. After that, anything that touches the altar will be holy. Every day two lambs will be sacrificed on the altar, one in the morning and one at twilight, along with offerings of flour, oil, and wine. God will enjoy the smell of these things burning. This is to be done regularly so that the tabernacle, the altar, and the priests will be holy. Yahweh will speak to them and live with them and be their God. Plus, the priests will have a daily supply of the best meat available.
*That's an awful lot of meat from a people who have nothing to eat but manna. Just for the consecration a and ordinations eight Bulls and two Rams were killed. The daily sacrifice would make over 700 lambs a year.
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Exodus chapter 28
After reading chapter 28:
*We are told that Aaron, and his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar are to be the priests. The preists are to have special costly garments made for them to wear, a tunic, robe, ephod, breastplate, sash and turban. They will probably have the finest clothes of all the Israelites. Why does God need priests?
*Next, there are instructions for the construction of the ephod. On each of the gold filigree shoulder pieces of the ephod, there is to be an onyx stone engraved with the names of six tribes of Israel.
*Next are instructions for the breast plate. It will have twelve different colored precious stones, each engraved with the name of one of the tribes of Israel. They are to be set in gold filigree. Aaron will wear the breastplate whenever he enters the holy place. (The special room in the tabernacle with the ark and God hovering over it.) The Urim and Thummim , apparently some kind of stones used for divination, are also to be put on the breastplate to help Aaron make decisions for the Israelites. Why can't Aaron just ask God straight out? Why the necessity for hocus pocus?
*There are additional instructions for the ephod and the robe. The robe is to have bells on its hem, so that the sound of the bells will be heard when Aaron enters the holy place and when he comes out, "so that he will not die." God needs a warning, or he will kill if surprised? That doesn't sound very god-like.
*We also have instructions for the turban Aaron is to wear. It must have a gold plate engraved with the words " holy to Yahweh." Somehow this gold plate insures that the Israelites sacrifices will be acceptable to God. Aaron will bear any guilt associated with the sacrifices. That doesn't seem fair, does it?
*Next are more instructions for the construction of the tunics, sashes, and head bands to be worn by Aaron's sons. These will give them dignity and honor, and make them look wealthier and more important than other Israelites. Aaron's sons are to be consecrated as priests by anointing and ordaining, because those things magically make a person holy.
*Last, but not least, the priests must wear special underwear before they can enter the tabernacle. Or they might incur guilt and die. Because going commando is just wrong. It is so wrong that priestly underwear is a lasting ordinance.
*We are told that Aaron, and his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar are to be the priests. The preists are to have special costly garments made for them to wear, a tunic, robe, ephod, breastplate, sash and turban. They will probably have the finest clothes of all the Israelites. Why does God need priests?
*Next, there are instructions for the construction of the ephod. On each of the gold filigree shoulder pieces of the ephod, there is to be an onyx stone engraved with the names of six tribes of Israel.
*Next are instructions for the breast plate. It will have twelve different colored precious stones, each engraved with the name of one of the tribes of Israel. They are to be set in gold filigree. Aaron will wear the breastplate whenever he enters the holy place. (The special room in the tabernacle with the ark and God hovering over it.) The Urim and Thummim , apparently some kind of stones used for divination, are also to be put on the breastplate to help Aaron make decisions for the Israelites. Why can't Aaron just ask God straight out? Why the necessity for hocus pocus?
*There are additional instructions for the ephod and the robe. The robe is to have bells on its hem, so that the sound of the bells will be heard when Aaron enters the holy place and when he comes out, "so that he will not die." God needs a warning, or he will kill if surprised? That doesn't sound very god-like.
*We also have instructions for the turban Aaron is to wear. It must have a gold plate engraved with the words " holy to Yahweh." Somehow this gold plate insures that the Israelites sacrifices will be acceptable to God. Aaron will bear any guilt associated with the sacrifices. That doesn't seem fair, does it?
*Next are more instructions for the construction of the tunics, sashes, and head bands to be worn by Aaron's sons. These will give them dignity and honor, and make them look wealthier and more important than other Israelites. Aaron's sons are to be consecrated as priests by anointing and ordaining, because those things magically make a person holy.
*Last, but not least, the priests must wear special underwear before they can enter the tabernacle. Or they might incur guilt and die. Because going commando is just wrong. It is so wrong that priestly underwear is a lasting ordinance.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Exodus chapter 27
After reading chapter 27:
*First, Moses is told how the altar for burnt offerings is to be constructed. Next, are instructions for the courtyard enclosing the tabernacle. Last, the Israelites are to provide good olive oil for the lamps that Aaron and his sons are to keep burning every night. This is a "lasting ordinance" for the generations to come. I wonder if anyone still follows it. (All right, I know they don't.)
*First, Moses is told how the altar for burnt offerings is to be constructed. Next, are instructions for the courtyard enclosing the tabernacle. Last, the Israelites are to provide good olive oil for the lamps that Aaron and his sons are to keep burning every night. This is a "lasting ordinance" for the generations to come. I wonder if anyone still follows it. (All right, I know they don't.)
Exodus chapter 26
After reading chapter 26:
*Chapter 26 is basically instructions for how to construct the tabernacle, a kind of moveable temple with curtain walls. It is set up in a format very similar to other pagan temples in ancient history, with a special holy place for the God to reside. According to my study bible, the details are very similar to portable shrines found in ancient Egypt.
*Chapter 26 is basically instructions for how to construct the tabernacle, a kind of moveable temple with curtain walls. It is set up in a format very similar to other pagan temples in ancient history, with a special holy place for the God to reside. According to my study bible, the details are very similar to portable shrines found in ancient Egypt.
Exodus chapter 25
After reading chapter 25:
*While Moses was on the mountain, Yahweh told him that the Israelites were to make offerings of rich materials that would be used to construct an ephod, a breast-piece, a tabernacle and furnishings.
*Then, instructions were given in how to make a fancy golden chest, with a lid that has one cherub at each end. This chest is called an ark in English, but it just means chest. Inside the chest, something called "The Testimony" was to be placed. When it was closed, Yahweh would be hovering over the top, between the cherubim. So, when God was there, does that mean he was not anywhere else?
* Instructions were also given for the construction of a special golden table and dishes of pure gold. Something called "the bread of the presence" was to be on the table, set in front of Yahweh, who would be over the ark.
*Next, we have instructions for a fancy lamp stand of pure gold, seven oil lamps to put on the stand, and golden wick trimmers and trays, all to be made according to a specific pattern. Pure gold, being a very soft metal, would be very impractical for these uses. but maybe God is more into aesthetics and an appearance of wealth than practicality.
*The question I have is, why? All this stuff seems to be needless, and needlessly complicating god's relationship with the people. An all powerful God certainly wouldn't need these things. If it is just as a test of obedience, that seems rather petty and controlling. It would make more sense if such a display of wealth were the priests' idea. Plus, other ancient gods had similar implements used in their service.
*While Moses was on the mountain, Yahweh told him that the Israelites were to make offerings of rich materials that would be used to construct an ephod, a breast-piece, a tabernacle and furnishings.
*Then, instructions were given in how to make a fancy golden chest, with a lid that has one cherub at each end. This chest is called an ark in English, but it just means chest. Inside the chest, something called "The Testimony" was to be placed. When it was closed, Yahweh would be hovering over the top, between the cherubim. So, when God was there, does that mean he was not anywhere else?
* Instructions were also given for the construction of a special golden table and dishes of pure gold. Something called "the bread of the presence" was to be on the table, set in front of Yahweh, who would be over the ark.
*Next, we have instructions for a fancy lamp stand of pure gold, seven oil lamps to put on the stand, and golden wick trimmers and trays, all to be made according to a specific pattern. Pure gold, being a very soft metal, would be very impractical for these uses. but maybe God is more into aesthetics and an appearance of wealth than practicality.
*The question I have is, why? All this stuff seems to be needless, and needlessly complicating god's relationship with the people. An all powerful God certainly wouldn't need these things. If it is just as a test of obedience, that seems rather petty and controlling. It would make more sense if such a display of wealth were the priests' idea. Plus, other ancient gods had similar implements used in their service.
Monday, September 21, 2015
Exodus chapter 24
After reading chapter 24:
*Moses told the Israelites all the laws that Yahweh had made and, with one voice, over a million people agreed to obey God. Then Moses wrote down everything God had said. What did he write it on? What did he write with? In what language did he write?
* The next morning, Moses built an altar and set up twelve stone pillars to represent the twelve tribes of Israel. Some bulls were sacrificed and blood splashed on the altar. Then Moses read the book of the covenant aloud to the people. Though how they could all hear it is a mystery. Also, is this the same thing he just wrote or something different? Again, the people all agreed to obey. Then Moses spritzed the people with blood from the sacrifice. All the people? Or was this just a symbolic flinging of blood into the crowd? While Moses was sprinkling the blood, he announced that it was the blood of the covenant. Wait a minute, where did the bulls come from? I thought the Israelites had run out of food and were complaining because they had lots of meat back in Egypt. Wasn't that the reason for the quail and manna? Had someone been holding back animals that could have been eaten?
*Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu (Aaron's sons) and seventy elders approached the mountain and saw God! This is supposedly the same God the New Testament tells us no one has ever seen. He must have looked like a person because he had feet and his feet were standing on pavement made of lapis lazuli. The people who saw God had a feast, presumably eating the meat from the bulls that had been sacrificed. Everyone else probably had to make do with manna.
*Then God asked Moses to come up the mountain and get some tablets of stone on which would be written the law and commandments. Moses took Joshua with him and told everyone to wait til he came back. Aaron and Hur would be in charge. Moses went up on the mountain and waited for six days while the cloud with God in it settled on the top of the mountain. To the people below, it looked like there was a fire on the mountain top. It sounds almost like a volcano. On the seventh day, Yahweh called Moses and Moses entered the cloud zone. He wasn't seen again for forty days and forty nights.
Edited.
*Moses told the Israelites all the laws that Yahweh had made and, with one voice, over a million people agreed to obey God. Then Moses wrote down everything God had said. What did he write it on? What did he write with? In what language did he write?
* The next morning, Moses built an altar and set up twelve stone pillars to represent the twelve tribes of Israel. Some bulls were sacrificed and blood splashed on the altar. Then Moses read the book of the covenant aloud to the people. Though how they could all hear it is a mystery. Also, is this the same thing he just wrote or something different? Again, the people all agreed to obey. Then Moses spritzed the people with blood from the sacrifice. All the people? Or was this just a symbolic flinging of blood into the crowd? While Moses was sprinkling the blood, he announced that it was the blood of the covenant. Wait a minute, where did the bulls come from? I thought the Israelites had run out of food and were complaining because they had lots of meat back in Egypt. Wasn't that the reason for the quail and manna? Had someone been holding back animals that could have been eaten?
*Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu (Aaron's sons) and seventy elders approached the mountain and saw God! This is supposedly the same God the New Testament tells us no one has ever seen. He must have looked like a person because he had feet and his feet were standing on pavement made of lapis lazuli. The people who saw God had a feast, presumably eating the meat from the bulls that had been sacrificed. Everyone else probably had to make do with manna.
*Then God asked Moses to come up the mountain and get some tablets of stone on which would be written the law and commandments. Moses took Joshua with him and told everyone to wait til he came back. Aaron and Hur would be in charge. Moses went up on the mountain and waited for six days while the cloud with God in it settled on the top of the mountain. To the people below, it looked like there was a fire on the mountain top. It sounds almost like a volcano. On the seventh day, Yahweh called Moses and Moses entered the cloud zone. He wasn't seen again for forty days and forty nights.
Edited.
Friday, September 18, 2015
Exodus chapter 23 part 2
* In the second half of the chapter, God says he is sending an angel ahead of the Israelites they need to listen to the angel and obey him. Then God will wipe out their enemies in the lands of the Amorites, Hittites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites. How could these people be the enemies of the Israelites when they haven't even come in contact with them yet? Do all those people really deserve to die?
*The Israelites are not to worship those people's gods or follow any of their customs. They are to destroy the people and their sacred stones. (This is obviously before the days of the golden rule.)If they worship Yahweh, he will bless their food and water. They won't be sick, have miscarriages, or infertility problems. Plus, they will live long lives. What about an eternal reward in heaven? Nope. It was not an issue in those good old days.
*Now God calls the angel that is going ahead a terror and a hornet. It will stir up those other nations, and make them confused and cowardly. Little by little they will be driven out of the land to give the Israelites time to grow enough in population so they can take possession of the land. That is only practical. If those other people left all at once, weeds and wild animals would take over.
*God will give them a particular area of land from the Red Sea to the Medeterranean, and from the desert in the south to the river in the north. They are to drive out all the native people, make no treaties with them or their gods, and not let them live in that land. Otherwise, there will be trouble. It was a kind of manifest destiny for the Israelites.
*The Israelites are not to worship those people's gods or follow any of their customs. They are to destroy the people and their sacred stones. (This is obviously before the days of the golden rule.)If they worship Yahweh, he will bless their food and water. They won't be sick, have miscarriages, or infertility problems. Plus, they will live long lives. What about an eternal reward in heaven? Nope. It was not an issue in those good old days.
*Now God calls the angel that is going ahead a terror and a hornet. It will stir up those other nations, and make them confused and cowardly. Little by little they will be driven out of the land to give the Israelites time to grow enough in population so they can take possession of the land. That is only practical. If those other people left all at once, weeds and wild animals would take over.
*God will give them a particular area of land from the Red Sea to the Medeterranean, and from the desert in the south to the river in the north. They are to drive out all the native people, make no treaties with them or their gods, and not let them live in that land. Otherwise, there will be trouble. It was a kind of manifest destiny for the Israelites.
Exodus chapter 23 part 1
After reading chapter 23:
*We have more laws: Do not spread lies, or become a malicious witness. Do not follow the crowd when it is in the wrong. Do not show favoritism to the poor during lawsuits. If your neighbor's animals get loose, take them back. Give your enemy help with his animals if he needs it. Treat the poor with fairness. Do not falsely accuse or put to death an innocent person. Do not take bribes. Again, do not oppress foreigners.
*The land is to be rested from crops every seventh year; fields, vinyards and trees apply. All people and animals are to rest every seventh day. Be obedient and do not even speak the names of other gods.
*Every year will be three festivals to Yahweh, the feast of unleavened bread, the feast of harvest, and the feast of ingathering. These would probably take place in the spring, summer, and fall. The feast of harvest is to give God the first fruits of crops sown in the fields. The feast of ingathering is at the end of the growing season. Sacrifes at those times must not have blood or yeast in them. The fat of animal sacrifices must be kept til morning. The very best stuff is given to God. Last but not least, do not cook a young goat in its mother's milk.
*Okay. The laws about how to treat people fairly do seem mostly fair. Resting land and people seems like a good thing on the face of it. Sacrifices, however, seem like such a waste of good produce. What most people don't realize is that the priests got to keep and eat parts of the sacrifices, after they had been offered to God. That was one of the perks of being a priest. God got the fat of the animal. It would produce a nice fire. The rest was usually eaten by the people providing the sacrifice. Not much food was wasted on God. He usually declined to eat most of what was offered, probably keeping an eye on his waistline. The thing about the goat cooked in its mother's milk is just weird.
*We have more laws: Do not spread lies, or become a malicious witness. Do not follow the crowd when it is in the wrong. Do not show favoritism to the poor during lawsuits. If your neighbor's animals get loose, take them back. Give your enemy help with his animals if he needs it. Treat the poor with fairness. Do not falsely accuse or put to death an innocent person. Do not take bribes. Again, do not oppress foreigners.
*The land is to be rested from crops every seventh year; fields, vinyards and trees apply. All people and animals are to rest every seventh day. Be obedient and do not even speak the names of other gods.
*Every year will be three festivals to Yahweh, the feast of unleavened bread, the feast of harvest, and the feast of ingathering. These would probably take place in the spring, summer, and fall. The feast of harvest is to give God the first fruits of crops sown in the fields. The feast of ingathering is at the end of the growing season. Sacrifes at those times must not have blood or yeast in them. The fat of animal sacrifices must be kept til morning. The very best stuff is given to God. Last but not least, do not cook a young goat in its mother's milk.
*Okay. The laws about how to treat people fairly do seem mostly fair. Resting land and people seems like a good thing on the face of it. Sacrifices, however, seem like such a waste of good produce. What most people don't realize is that the priests got to keep and eat parts of the sacrifices, after they had been offered to God. That was one of the perks of being a priest. God got the fat of the animal. It would produce a nice fire. The rest was usually eaten by the people providing the sacrifice. Not much food was wasted on God. He usually declined to eat most of what was offered, probably keeping an eye on his waistline. The thing about the goat cooked in its mother's milk is just weird.
Thursday, September 17, 2015
Exodus 22
After reading chapter 22:
*We are given various penalties and restitutions for stealing animals.
*We are told that anyone who defends their home from a break in is not guilty of bloodshed if they kill the offender, unless the sun has risen. Being able to see the person makes all the difference. It doesn't tell you what you should do instead. A theif must make restitution. If he can't, he is to be sold as a slave.
*We are given various penalties and restitutions for destruction of crops.
*We are given instructions for instances of illegal possession of someone else's property, plus instructions for safekeeping or borrowing another person's property, and the responsibilities of the caretakers.
*If a man sleeps with a virgin who was not promised to someone else, he must marry her and pay her family the bride price. If her father won't let him marry her, he still has to pay the bride price. The girl has no say in the matter.
*Sorceresses are not allowed to live. What about sorcerers? Why is this just the female version? Not to mention, sorcery is the stuff of superstition and fantasy.
*Anyone who sacrifices to any God other than Yahweh is to be destroyed. Because burning a piece of meat and saying words to a non-existent being is worthy of death?
*The Israelites are not to mistreat or oppress the foreigners among them, because the Egyptians mistreated them. They are only allowed to mistreat and oppress their Hebrew slaves.
*If a man mistreats a widow or an orphan, God will kill him so that his wife becomes a widow and his children orphans. I don't think this punishment fits the crime. In this case, the wife and children are left without support because of the actions of a cruel man. The man doesn't have to live with any consequences. On the other hand, they may actually be better off without him.
*Money is to be lent without interest. Cloaks are not to be held as a pledge overnight because they are needed to sleep in. After all, God is compassionate. If you say so.
*Do not blaspheme God. Blasphemy is one of those concepts that is hard to pin down. It is usually taken to mean don't say anything bad about God, like "he doesn't exist."
*Do not curse the ruler of your people. It's a good thing most Christians consider the Old Testament laws to be passé, or they would be in trouble. Another thing, at this time the Israelites didn't even have a ruler.
*Do not hold back offerings from your graineries or vats. They didn't have graineries or vats at this time. They didn't grow grain or grapes for wine till many years later. They were supposedly still living in the desert, subsisting on quail and manna.
*Give Yahweh your first born sons, sheep, and cattle on the eighth day of their lives. (?)
* If you want to be god's holy people don't eat meat killed by wild animals, feed it to the dogs. There is no quicker way to lose holiness, and your lunch, than eating carrion.
Edited.
*We are given various penalties and restitutions for stealing animals.
*We are told that anyone who defends their home from a break in is not guilty of bloodshed if they kill the offender, unless the sun has risen. Being able to see the person makes all the difference. It doesn't tell you what you should do instead. A theif must make restitution. If he can't, he is to be sold as a slave.
*We are given various penalties and restitutions for destruction of crops.
*We are given instructions for instances of illegal possession of someone else's property, plus instructions for safekeeping or borrowing another person's property, and the responsibilities of the caretakers.
*If a man sleeps with a virgin who was not promised to someone else, he must marry her and pay her family the bride price. If her father won't let him marry her, he still has to pay the bride price. The girl has no say in the matter.
*Sorceresses are not allowed to live. What about sorcerers? Why is this just the female version? Not to mention, sorcery is the stuff of superstition and fantasy.
*Anyone who sacrifices to any God other than Yahweh is to be destroyed. Because burning a piece of meat and saying words to a non-existent being is worthy of death?
*The Israelites are not to mistreat or oppress the foreigners among them, because the Egyptians mistreated them. They are only allowed to mistreat and oppress their Hebrew slaves.
*If a man mistreats a widow or an orphan, God will kill him so that his wife becomes a widow and his children orphans. I don't think this punishment fits the crime. In this case, the wife and children are left without support because of the actions of a cruel man. The man doesn't have to live with any consequences. On the other hand, they may actually be better off without him.
*Money is to be lent without interest. Cloaks are not to be held as a pledge overnight because they are needed to sleep in. After all, God is compassionate. If you say so.
*Do not blaspheme God. Blasphemy is one of those concepts that is hard to pin down. It is usually taken to mean don't say anything bad about God, like "he doesn't exist."
*Do not curse the ruler of your people. It's a good thing most Christians consider the Old Testament laws to be passé, or they would be in trouble. Another thing, at this time the Israelites didn't even have a ruler.
*Do not hold back offerings from your graineries or vats. They didn't have graineries or vats at this time. They didn't grow grain or grapes for wine till many years later. They were supposedly still living in the desert, subsisting on quail and manna.
*Give Yahweh your first born sons, sheep, and cattle on the eighth day of their lives. (?)
* If you want to be god's holy people don't eat meat killed by wild animals, feed it to the dogs. There is no quicker way to lose holiness, and your lunch, than eating carrion.
Edited.
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Exodus 21 part 2
*The next part of the chapter could be entitled Personal Injury Law. We already know murder is forbidden. Now we find out the penalty for deliberately killing a man (not a woman) is death. For an accidental killing, a person may run away to a designated place. What if a deliberate murderer says it was an accident and runs away?
*A person could also be put to death for: attacking his mother or father, kidnapping someone, and cursing his mother or father. We are not talking about cursing as in using filthy language, we are talking about an old fashioned voodoo-like curse, the opposite of a blessing. Because superstitious words have power? You would think God would know better.
*A man is to be punished, not executed, if a slave dies right after he beats it. If the slave doesn't die within a few days, the owner will not be punished, after all the slave is his property. Notice that the beating itself is not wrong. Way to go, Yahweh. What happened to the story that the Israelites were miserable as slaves in Egypt and Yahweh heard their cries? Does he not hear the cries of all slaves, or just Israelites?
*If fighting men hit a pregnant woman and she loses the baby, the hitter must pay whatever the husband demands, and the courts allow. If there is a serious injury (It appears that losing an unborn child was not considered serious.) it will be punished in kind, life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, bruise for bruise. However, if a man hits a slave and destroys his or her eye, or knocks out a tooth, the slave must be set free as compensation. In other words, slaves do not have equal protection under the law. A master will not be punished in kind for any injuries he causes. So, just avoid hitting your slave near the face and you should be fine.
*A killer bull must be killed and not eaten. The owner will not be held responsible, unless the owner can be shown to know the bull was dangerous and did not take precautions. Then, if the bull kills, both the bull and the owner will be executed. However, the owner can go free if he pays acceptable damages. If the bull kills a slave, the owner must pay 30 shekels of silver to the slave owner and the bull must be killed. Again, the harming of a slave does not have the same consequences as the harming of a free person.
*If someone's big hole in the ground is responsible for the death of someone else's animal, he must pay for the dead animal and then it will be his.
*If a bull kills another man's bull, the live one is to be sold. The money is to be divided and the carcass of the dead animal is also divided between the two owners. If the owner did not keep a dangerous bull responsibly restrained, the owner must give the other man a new bull and he gets to keep the carcass of the dead one.
Edited.
*A person could also be put to death for: attacking his mother or father, kidnapping someone, and cursing his mother or father. We are not talking about cursing as in using filthy language, we are talking about an old fashioned voodoo-like curse, the opposite of a blessing. Because superstitious words have power? You would think God would know better.
*A man is to be punished, not executed, if a slave dies right after he beats it. If the slave doesn't die within a few days, the owner will not be punished, after all the slave is his property. Notice that the beating itself is not wrong. Way to go, Yahweh. What happened to the story that the Israelites were miserable as slaves in Egypt and Yahweh heard their cries? Does he not hear the cries of all slaves, or just Israelites?
*If fighting men hit a pregnant woman and she loses the baby, the hitter must pay whatever the husband demands, and the courts allow. If there is a serious injury (It appears that losing an unborn child was not considered serious.) it will be punished in kind, life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, bruise for bruise. However, if a man hits a slave and destroys his or her eye, or knocks out a tooth, the slave must be set free as compensation. In other words, slaves do not have equal protection under the law. A master will not be punished in kind for any injuries he causes. So, just avoid hitting your slave near the face and you should be fine.
*A killer bull must be killed and not eaten. The owner will not be held responsible, unless the owner can be shown to know the bull was dangerous and did not take precautions. Then, if the bull kills, both the bull and the owner will be executed. However, the owner can go free if he pays acceptable damages. If the bull kills a slave, the owner must pay 30 shekels of silver to the slave owner and the bull must be killed. Again, the harming of a slave does not have the same consequences as the harming of a free person.
*If someone's big hole in the ground is responsible for the death of someone else's animal, he must pay for the dead animal and then it will be his.
*If a bull kills another man's bull, the live one is to be sold. The money is to be divided and the carcass of the dead animal is also divided between the two owners. If the owner did not keep a dangerous bull responsibly restrained, the owner must give the other man a new bull and he gets to keep the carcass of the dead one.
Edited.
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Exodus chapter 21 Part 1
After reading chapter 21:
*The first part of the chapter is about "servants," read slaves. If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve six years, then be set free in the seventh year, without paying for his freedom. This assumes that it is perfectly fine to buy, sell, and own another human being, even a fellow Hebrew. It is currently talking about a male slave, we will get to the females in a moment. If the slave has no wife when he is bought, he leaves without a wife. If he has a wife when he is bought, he gets to take his wife with him when he goes. If the master gives him a wife and they have children, the master gets to keep the wife and children when the slave leaves at the end of his service. So much for the sanctity of marriage and the family.
*The Hebrew male slave may decide he would rather stay with his wife and children than be separated. In that case, he will forfeit his freedom. Whoo, boy, what a tough spot to be in. If he chooses to stay, he will have his ear pierced with an awl to mark him as a slave for life. No changing of minds.
*If a man sells his daughter as a slave...back up and read that again.....she doesn't get to go free at the end of seven years. Let's be clear, this passage makes it obvious that this woman is a sex slave or a "concubine" like Hagar, Bilhah, and Zilpah were. If the master selected her for himself and she doesn't please him, he must sell her to another Israelite, not a foreigner, because he has broken faith with her. Notice that this is a business transaction, it was similar to a marriage but didn't have the same rules that a marriage had. A female slave was responsible for keeping her master pleased or she could be sold, in turn she had limited rights. If the master was buying the woman for his son, he must give her the rights of a daughter. If the master married another woman after he bought the first, he must not deprive the first of food, clothing and "marital rights," read sex. If he did deprive her of those thing he had to let her go free, without payment. What a nice loophole. Want to get rid of your concubine and no one else wants to take her off your hands? Stop supporting her and completely ignore her. I wonder how many neglected women committed suicide or just died from extreme poverty.
Edited.
*The first part of the chapter is about "servants," read slaves. If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve six years, then be set free in the seventh year, without paying for his freedom. This assumes that it is perfectly fine to buy, sell, and own another human being, even a fellow Hebrew. It is currently talking about a male slave, we will get to the females in a moment. If the slave has no wife when he is bought, he leaves without a wife. If he has a wife when he is bought, he gets to take his wife with him when he goes. If the master gives him a wife and they have children, the master gets to keep the wife and children when the slave leaves at the end of his service. So much for the sanctity of marriage and the family.
*The Hebrew male slave may decide he would rather stay with his wife and children than be separated. In that case, he will forfeit his freedom. Whoo, boy, what a tough spot to be in. If he chooses to stay, he will have his ear pierced with an awl to mark him as a slave for life. No changing of minds.
*If a man sells his daughter as a slave...back up and read that again.....she doesn't get to go free at the end of seven years. Let's be clear, this passage makes it obvious that this woman is a sex slave or a "concubine" like Hagar, Bilhah, and Zilpah were. If the master selected her for himself and she doesn't please him, he must sell her to another Israelite, not a foreigner, because he has broken faith with her. Notice that this is a business transaction, it was similar to a marriage but didn't have the same rules that a marriage had. A female slave was responsible for keeping her master pleased or she could be sold, in turn she had limited rights. If the master was buying the woman for his son, he must give her the rights of a daughter. If the master married another woman after he bought the first, he must not deprive the first of food, clothing and "marital rights," read sex. If he did deprive her of those thing he had to let her go free, without payment. What a nice loophole. Want to get rid of your concubine and no one else wants to take her off your hands? Stop supporting her and completely ignore her. I wonder how many neglected women committed suicide or just died from extreme poverty.
Edited.
Exodus chapter 20 part 2
*When Moses approached God, he again told Moses he didn't want the people worshipping any other gods along side him. He didn't say no other gods exist. Plus, they were to make no gods of silver or gold. It doesn't say none of wood or clay.
* They are also to make an earthen alter for sacrificing burnt offerings and fellowship offerings of sheep, cattle, and goats. Wherever Yahweh causes his name to be honored, he will bless them. If they should ever make a stone altar it is to be made of uncut stones. Using tools on it would defile it. This word defile is an abstract concept related to uncleanness and is hard to grasp. Nevertheless, it is obviously not good. Why it is not good is unanswerable.
*Last but not least, there will be no steps up to the altar, so that God, or any one else, won't be able to look up their skirts and see their private parts. All righty then.
*My bible has this chapter labelled "The Ten Commandments." The text hasn't actually called them that yet, and they are not yet carved in stone.
* They are also to make an earthen alter for sacrificing burnt offerings and fellowship offerings of sheep, cattle, and goats. Wherever Yahweh causes his name to be honored, he will bless them. If they should ever make a stone altar it is to be made of uncut stones. Using tools on it would defile it. This word defile is an abstract concept related to uncleanness and is hard to grasp. Nevertheless, it is obviously not good. Why it is not good is unanswerable.
*Last but not least, there will be no steps up to the altar, so that God, or any one else, won't be able to look up their skirts and see their private parts. All righty then.
*My bible has this chapter labelled "The Ten Commandments." The text hasn't actually called them that yet, and they are not yet carved in stone.
Exodus chapter 20 Part 1
After reading chapter 20:
*Then God spoke. He said he was Yahweh who brought them out of slavery in Egypt. No other gods were to be worshipped before him. (It doesn't say no other gods existed.) They were not to make any idols or bow down to any idols, because he is a jealous God. Jealousy is a human emotion. Why should an all powerful God be jealous?
*He punishes the children for the sins of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate him and rewards those who love him for a thousand generations. That certainly doesn't seem fair by human standards. Also, what if someone loves god but that person's grandchild hates God, does the love nullify the hate, or vice versa?
*No one shall misuse god's name. Is he talking about the name Yahweh or does the generic word God also count as his name? Apparently anyone who misuses the name will be guilty, but we are not told what the punishment is.
*Next, the Israelites were to keep the seventh day of the week holy. On that day, no one was to work, not even slaves and strangers. The reason given was that God worked at making everything that existed for six days, and on the seventh day he rested. That makes it a holy day. Here we encounter a small problem. Unless we know the exact date of the first day of creation, how can we know when we are currently on a day that is a true multiple of seven? Did Adam and all his descendants keep track of the days of the week? What happens if the day people call the Sabbath is really the third day if the week?
*Honor your father and mother so you will have a good long stay in Canaan. (What if you are abused?) Do not murder. Do not commit adultery. (Not even for abuse?) Do not steal. Do not be a false witness against your neighbor.
*You can't even wish you had your neighbor's house, his wife, or slaves, or animals, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor. Though how anyone would know, is a mystery. Thoughts have always been private. Uh, oh. Is this telling us our thoughts are not private to God? This a disturbing new development. If I can't even be alone in my thoughts, I'm toast.
*While God was saying these things, he was also making thunder, lightening, smoke, and trumpet sounds. This understandably scared the Israelites. They asked Moses to speak to God alone, in person, because they were afraid of dying. Moses told them not to be afraid. It was just a test to instill a fear of sinning in them. The people stayed back and Moses went toward the thick darkness where God was.
*Then God spoke. He said he was Yahweh who brought them out of slavery in Egypt. No other gods were to be worshipped before him. (It doesn't say no other gods existed.) They were not to make any idols or bow down to any idols, because he is a jealous God. Jealousy is a human emotion. Why should an all powerful God be jealous?
*He punishes the children for the sins of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate him and rewards those who love him for a thousand generations. That certainly doesn't seem fair by human standards. Also, what if someone loves god but that person's grandchild hates God, does the love nullify the hate, or vice versa?
*No one shall misuse god's name. Is he talking about the name Yahweh or does the generic word God also count as his name? Apparently anyone who misuses the name will be guilty, but we are not told what the punishment is.
*Next, the Israelites were to keep the seventh day of the week holy. On that day, no one was to work, not even slaves and strangers. The reason given was that God worked at making everything that existed for six days, and on the seventh day he rested. That makes it a holy day. Here we encounter a small problem. Unless we know the exact date of the first day of creation, how can we know when we are currently on a day that is a true multiple of seven? Did Adam and all his descendants keep track of the days of the week? What happens if the day people call the Sabbath is really the third day if the week?
*Honor your father and mother so you will have a good long stay in Canaan. (What if you are abused?) Do not murder. Do not commit adultery. (Not even for abuse?) Do not steal. Do not be a false witness against your neighbor.
*You can't even wish you had your neighbor's house, his wife, or slaves, or animals, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor. Though how anyone would know, is a mystery. Thoughts have always been private. Uh, oh. Is this telling us our thoughts are not private to God? This a disturbing new development. If I can't even be alone in my thoughts, I'm toast.
*While God was saying these things, he was also making thunder, lightening, smoke, and trumpet sounds. This understandably scared the Israelites. They asked Moses to speak to God alone, in person, because they were afraid of dying. Moses told them not to be afraid. It was just a test to instill a fear of sinning in them. The people stayed back and Moses went toward the thick darkness where God was.
Saturday, September 12, 2015
Exodus chapter 19 part 2
*On the morning of the third day, there was thunder and lightening, a thick cloud of billowing smoke, a loud trumpet blast, and the mountain trembled, very much like a volcano. The sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Moses spoke and the voice of God answered saying, " I am the great Oz, pay no attention to the man behind the curtain." Oops, wrong story. You must admit it was very theatrical.
*Yahweh descended to the top of mount Sinai from somewhere up above. He called Moses up to the top of the mountain. Moses went up, even though it was supposedly covered in billowing smoke. God warned Moses to warn the people that they would die if they tried to force their way through to see him. Who would kill them? Moses had to remind God that he had already ordered boundaries to be put around the mountain. Then Yahweh told Moses to go down and fetch Aaron, but the priests and the rest of the people were not to come up or he would " break out against them." Moses went back down again to tell the the Israelites what they already knew.
* Wait a minute. Where did those priests come from? Does it have anything to do with Yaweh's declaration in verse 6 that they would be a kingdom of priests?
*Yahweh descended to the top of mount Sinai from somewhere up above. He called Moses up to the top of the mountain. Moses went up, even though it was supposedly covered in billowing smoke. God warned Moses to warn the people that they would die if they tried to force their way through to see him. Who would kill them? Moses had to remind God that he had already ordered boundaries to be put around the mountain. Then Yahweh told Moses to go down and fetch Aaron, but the priests and the rest of the people were not to come up or he would " break out against them." Moses went back down again to tell the the Israelites what they already knew.
* Wait a minute. Where did those priests come from? Does it have anything to do with Yaweh's declaration in verse 6 that they would be a kingdom of priests?
Exodus chapter 19 part 1
After reading chapter 19:
*Now, in the third month after the Israelites left Egypt, they enter the desert of Sinai and camp there in front of the mountain. Yahweh spoke to Moses from the mountain. God told Moses to remind the Israelites that he was responsible for bringing them out of Egypt and bringing them there to himself. They are to obey him fully and they will be his treasured possession. Although the whole world belongs to him, they will be special snowflakes, a holy nation. Apparently this mountain was Yahweh's home. The Wikipedia article shows us that no one really knows for sure where this was supposed to be. There is more than one mountain in the desert of Sinai.
*Moses told the people what Yahweh had said. The people replied that they would obey the lord. Moses took that message back to God, like he didn't already know the answer. Yahweh told Moses that he would speak to Moses from a dense cloud so the Israelites would hear and trust Moses as his messenger.
*The people were to spend two days getting ready for Yahweh to come down on the mountain and address them. They were to wash their clothes. (God doesn't like dirty clothes?) I wonder where over a million people got enough water to wash their clothes in the desert. They were to stay away from the base of the mountain and not touch it. If someone touched it, that person would be stoned to death or shot with arrows. I wonder who was responsible for carrying out the executions? Even animals that touched the mountain were to be killed. Had God cared if animals touched the mountain in all the millenia that came before? The mountain could only be touched after a long blast from the ram's horn. Moses told the Israelites all this and included a command to abstain from sex. Was this command from God or Moses? How did not having sex matter? I wonder what the consequences for having sex were, and how would anyone except the people involved know? My study bible assures us that it was not because sex is sinful, but because it may leave people " ceremoniously unclean." The text does not say this. How in the world do you measure ceremonial dirtiness, exactly what is it, and why does God care about it?
Edited.
*Now, in the third month after the Israelites left Egypt, they enter the desert of Sinai and camp there in front of the mountain. Yahweh spoke to Moses from the mountain. God told Moses to remind the Israelites that he was responsible for bringing them out of Egypt and bringing them there to himself. They are to obey him fully and they will be his treasured possession. Although the whole world belongs to him, they will be special snowflakes, a holy nation. Apparently this mountain was Yahweh's home. The Wikipedia article shows us that no one really knows for sure where this was supposed to be. There is more than one mountain in the desert of Sinai.
*Moses told the people what Yahweh had said. The people replied that they would obey the lord. Moses took that message back to God, like he didn't already know the answer. Yahweh told Moses that he would speak to Moses from a dense cloud so the Israelites would hear and trust Moses as his messenger.
*The people were to spend two days getting ready for Yahweh to come down on the mountain and address them. They were to wash their clothes. (God doesn't like dirty clothes?) I wonder where over a million people got enough water to wash their clothes in the desert. They were to stay away from the base of the mountain and not touch it. If someone touched it, that person would be stoned to death or shot with arrows. I wonder who was responsible for carrying out the executions? Even animals that touched the mountain were to be killed. Had God cared if animals touched the mountain in all the millenia that came before? The mountain could only be touched after a long blast from the ram's horn. Moses told the Israelites all this and included a command to abstain from sex. Was this command from God or Moses? How did not having sex matter? I wonder what the consequences for having sex were, and how would anyone except the people involved know? My study bible assures us that it was not because sex is sinful, but because it may leave people " ceremoniously unclean." The text does not say this. How in the world do you measure ceremonial dirtiness, exactly what is it, and why does God care about it?
Edited.
Exodus chapter 18
After reading chapter 18:
*Apparently, Moses had sent his wife and two sons back to Zipporah's father, Jethro, the priest of Midian. Jethro had received the news of the Israelites' exit from Egypt and was pleased. He took his daughter and grandsons back to Moses. When he arrived at the camp, Moses told him about everything that had happened. Jethro praised Yahweh and said that now he knew Yahweh was greater than all the other gods. A funny thing about the Hebrew word ha-elohim, translated as " other gods" in this passage. In almost every other passage in the Old Testament, it is translated as the singular God with a capital G. What if all those other passages should have been translated as gods, plural, instead? At any rate, it is obvious from verse 11 that other gods were believed to exist.
*Jethro, being a priest, brings a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God. Wait! This God is the hebrew word Elohim, a plural word usually translated as singular. Was Jethro sacrificing to "the gods" or to "God?" It doesn't say he was sacrificing to "the lord" which is how Yahweh is translated into English. Even more telling is the next line that says Jethro, Moses, Aaron, and the elders ate bread in the presence of God. God here is the same Hebrew word, ha-elohim, that was translated as "other gods" in verse 11. You can see this for yourself if you look up the text in an online interlinear version. I usually use Bible Hub. First do a search for the verse, then click on INT in the version selection bar.
*Why would translators choose to make the word mean gods in one instance and God in another? Is there any chance they were not willing to show that the early Hebrews believed in other gods as well as Yahweh?
*The next day, Moses began to act as a judge for the Israelites. He was bombarded with cases of disputes from morning to night. Jethro asked him why he was doing this. Moses replied that the people came to him to seek God's will. ( Elohim, not Yahweh.) Moses would judge the cases and inform the people of God's laws. (Ha-Elohim, not Yahweh.) Whose laws was Moses dispensing?
*Anyway, Jethro told Moses he was working too hard and micromanaging over a million people. He needed to delegate authority. He explained how to go about it and Moses took his advice. Capable men were made leaders over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Moses only got the hard cases. Then Jethro returned to his own country.
Edited.
*Apparently, Moses had sent his wife and two sons back to Zipporah's father, Jethro, the priest of Midian. Jethro had received the news of the Israelites' exit from Egypt and was pleased. He took his daughter and grandsons back to Moses. When he arrived at the camp, Moses told him about everything that had happened. Jethro praised Yahweh and said that now he knew Yahweh was greater than all the other gods. A funny thing about the Hebrew word ha-elohim, translated as " other gods" in this passage. In almost every other passage in the Old Testament, it is translated as the singular God with a capital G. What if all those other passages should have been translated as gods, plural, instead? At any rate, it is obvious from verse 11 that other gods were believed to exist.
*Jethro, being a priest, brings a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God. Wait! This God is the hebrew word Elohim, a plural word usually translated as singular. Was Jethro sacrificing to "the gods" or to "God?" It doesn't say he was sacrificing to "the lord" which is how Yahweh is translated into English. Even more telling is the next line that says Jethro, Moses, Aaron, and the elders ate bread in the presence of God. God here is the same Hebrew word, ha-elohim, that was translated as "other gods" in verse 11. You can see this for yourself if you look up the text in an online interlinear version. I usually use Bible Hub. First do a search for the verse, then click on INT in the version selection bar.
*Why would translators choose to make the word mean gods in one instance and God in another? Is there any chance they were not willing to show that the early Hebrews believed in other gods as well as Yahweh?
*The next day, Moses began to act as a judge for the Israelites. He was bombarded with cases of disputes from morning to night. Jethro asked him why he was doing this. Moses replied that the people came to him to seek God's will. ( Elohim, not Yahweh.) Moses would judge the cases and inform the people of God's laws. (Ha-Elohim, not Yahweh.) Whose laws was Moses dispensing?
*Anyway, Jethro told Moses he was working too hard and micromanaging over a million people. He needed to delegate authority. He explained how to go about it and Moses took his advice. Capable men were made leaders over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Moses only got the hard cases. Then Jethro returned to his own country.
Edited.
Friday, September 11, 2015
Exodus chapter 17
After reading chapter 17:
*The Israelite hordes travelled from place to place as Yahweh directed. At Rephidim, there was no water and they quarreled with Moses. Moses shifts the blame to God. God told him to walk ahead of the people, along with some of the elders. He was to take the magic staff and strike a certain rock so water would flow out if it. He did as God said and it worked; there was enough water for all those people. I don't understand why it is so shocking that people would get upset and doubt god's providential care when they don't have enough food or water.
*While they were in Rephidim, the Amalekites attacked Israel. It doesn't say why. We are now introduced to Joshua, who Moses tells to take some men to go fight the Amalekites. Moses went to stand on a hill with the magic staff. While Joshua fought the Amalekites, Moses would hold up his hands and the battle would be in favor of the Israelites. When Moses lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. His arms got tired. So, Aaron and Hur stood on each side and held up his hands til sunset. Joshua's army won the fight. I guess that was to prove that the Israelites needed Moses.
*Yahweh told Moses to write this on a scroll, but he doesn't say what "this" is. Then he says he will completely blot out the memory of Amalekites and Yahweh will be at war with the Amalekites for many generations. The Amalekites will appear again later.
*After reading the Wikipedia article on the Amalekites, it seems to me that there is no definite concrete evidence for their existence.
Edited.
*The Israelite hordes travelled from place to place as Yahweh directed. At Rephidim, there was no water and they quarreled with Moses. Moses shifts the blame to God. God told him to walk ahead of the people, along with some of the elders. He was to take the magic staff and strike a certain rock so water would flow out if it. He did as God said and it worked; there was enough water for all those people. I don't understand why it is so shocking that people would get upset and doubt god's providential care when they don't have enough food or water.
*While they were in Rephidim, the Amalekites attacked Israel. It doesn't say why. We are now introduced to Joshua, who Moses tells to take some men to go fight the Amalekites. Moses went to stand on a hill with the magic staff. While Joshua fought the Amalekites, Moses would hold up his hands and the battle would be in favor of the Israelites. When Moses lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. His arms got tired. So, Aaron and Hur stood on each side and held up his hands til sunset. Joshua's army won the fight. I guess that was to prove that the Israelites needed Moses.
*Yahweh told Moses to write this on a scroll, but he doesn't say what "this" is. Then he says he will completely blot out the memory of Amalekites and Yahweh will be at war with the Amalekites for many generations. The Amalekites will appear again later.
*After reading the Wikipedia article on the Amalekites, it seems to me that there is no definite concrete evidence for their existence.
Edited.
Exodus 16 part 2
*After the Israelites gathered the stuff off the ground, Moses told them they were not to keep it till morning. They did anyway and it became putrid. Every day they gathered up the " bread from heaven." When the sun got hot, it melted away. On the sixth day of the week, they gathered twice as much. Moses told them the next day would be a holy day of rest, a Sabbath. They could do whatever they wanted with the stuff and save it for the next day. They saved it this time and it did not rot. On the Sabbath, they did not find any on the ground and had to eat what they had saved. People went out to look for it anyway.
*Yahweh was a little peeved that the people didn't seem to trust him enough to obey his commands. After all, he generously gave them this day off. Now they better rest, or else. (You mean he didn't know ahead of time how the people would act?)
*The people called the bread "manna" which means something like "whatchamacallit." It was white like coriander seed (Coriander seed is light tan) and tasted like wafers made with honey. Yum.
*Moses commanded Aaron to put some in a jar and place it before the lord, to be kept for generations. This was Yahweh's idea. The Israelites ate manna for forty years, until they reached the border of Canaan.
*So, for forty years, magical food, that knew the days of the week and the time of day and the amount each person needed, appeared on the ground every morning. Since that time, it has never been seen or tasted. Almost like it never existed.
Edited.
*Yahweh was a little peeved that the people didn't seem to trust him enough to obey his commands. After all, he generously gave them this day off. Now they better rest, or else. (You mean he didn't know ahead of time how the people would act?)
*The people called the bread "manna" which means something like "whatchamacallit." It was white like coriander seed (Coriander seed is light tan) and tasted like wafers made with honey. Yum.
*Moses commanded Aaron to put some in a jar and place it before the lord, to be kept for generations. This was Yahweh's idea. The Israelites ate manna for forty years, until they reached the border of Canaan.
*So, for forty years, magical food, that knew the days of the week and the time of day and the amount each person needed, appeared on the ground every morning. Since that time, it has never been seen or tasted. Almost like it never existed.
Edited.
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Exodus chapter 16 part 1
After reading chapter 16:
*Over one million people ( I can't emphasize this enough.) left Elim and travelled to the desert of Sin. Sin is probably a short version of Sinai. According to the map in my study bible, it was a journey of about 50 miles. It was the fifteenth day of the second month, exactly one month from leaving Egypt. Since the Jews follow a lunar calendar, the fifteenth of any month would have been around the time of a full moon.
*The people complained to Moses and Aaron that they were hungry. In Egypt they " sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted." When they left Egypt, they took their herds of animals with them.(chapter 12:38) Had they eaten them all in one month? Then, Yahweh told Moses he would rain down bread from heaven. Every day they were to gather enough for that day. On the sixth day, they were to gather twice as much. This was a test to see if the people would obey. Moses and Aaron told the people that it wasn't them the people were grumbling about, but Yahweh, who had brought them out of Egypt. They would see who was really responsible for their welfare when they got their bread and meat from God.
*Moses told Aaron to speak to the people. While he was speaking, the glory of the lord appeared in the cloud that was leading them around. What is the glory of the lord? It doesn't say, and we have not encountered this phenomenon before. Your guess is as good as mine. If I was to choose a cinematic representation, I would make it rapid flashes of lightening, or a mysterious green glow.
*God told Moses to tell the Israelites they would eat meat at twilight and bread in the morning. That evening, quail came and covered the camp, presumably enough quail to feed over a million people. In the morning, after the dew had dried, there were thin flakes of some substance in the ground. The Israelites didn't know what it was. Moses told them it was the bread Yahweh had given them to eat. He told them to gather enough for each person. When they were done, all the people mysteriously had the same amount, no matter how much or little they had gathered.
*I wonder how the Israelites camped. They had not been nomads with tents. While in Egypt, they lived in houses. What did they use for shelter out in the desert? Where did they get it from, and how did they transport it and all their other possession? Remember, they plundered Egypt before they left.
Edited.
*Over one million people ( I can't emphasize this enough.) left Elim and travelled to the desert of Sin. Sin is probably a short version of Sinai. According to the map in my study bible, it was a journey of about 50 miles. It was the fifteenth day of the second month, exactly one month from leaving Egypt. Since the Jews follow a lunar calendar, the fifteenth of any month would have been around the time of a full moon.
*The people complained to Moses and Aaron that they were hungry. In Egypt they " sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted." When they left Egypt, they took their herds of animals with them.(chapter 12:38) Had they eaten them all in one month? Then, Yahweh told Moses he would rain down bread from heaven. Every day they were to gather enough for that day. On the sixth day, they were to gather twice as much. This was a test to see if the people would obey. Moses and Aaron told the people that it wasn't them the people were grumbling about, but Yahweh, who had brought them out of Egypt. They would see who was really responsible for their welfare when they got their bread and meat from God.
*Moses told Aaron to speak to the people. While he was speaking, the glory of the lord appeared in the cloud that was leading them around. What is the glory of the lord? It doesn't say, and we have not encountered this phenomenon before. Your guess is as good as mine. If I was to choose a cinematic representation, I would make it rapid flashes of lightening, or a mysterious green glow.
*God told Moses to tell the Israelites they would eat meat at twilight and bread in the morning. That evening, quail came and covered the camp, presumably enough quail to feed over a million people. In the morning, after the dew had dried, there were thin flakes of some substance in the ground. The Israelites didn't know what it was. Moses told them it was the bread Yahweh had given them to eat. He told them to gather enough for each person. When they were done, all the people mysteriously had the same amount, no matter how much or little they had gathered.
*I wonder how the Israelites camped. They had not been nomads with tents. While in Egypt, they lived in houses. What did they use for shelter out in the desert? Where did they get it from, and how did they transport it and all their other possession? Remember, they plundered Egypt before they left.
Edited.
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Exodus chapter 15
After reading chapter 15:
*Moses and the Israelites sing a song about how awesome Yahweh is for killing all those Egyptians who were after them. Not only that, but other nations will hear about this and tremble as the Israelites pass by. Yaweh will plant the Israelites on the mountain of his inheritance. Miriam, Moses's and Aaron's sister, and all the Israelite women, sang and danced with tambourines. So, how did all the Israelites know this song? Did somebody write down the lyrics, make a million copies, and pass them out? or did they spontaneously burst out in song all at the same time? There must have been hundreds of thousands of women. The text says all the women followed Miriam's example. That's a lot of tambourines. If we seriously think of these events as actual events, happening in real time, it should be easy to recognize the practical impossibilities.
*The song also says "Who among the gods is like you?" This implies there are other gods.
*Then, Moses led the people away from the Red Sea, or the Sea of Reeds, depending who you ask, into the desert of Shur. For three days over a million people wandered in the desert without finding water. When they did find some, it was bitter. The people complained. Moses cried out to Yahweh who showed him a piece of wood to throw in the water to make it sweet. Next, Yahweh speaks of himself in the third person to tell the Israelites to obey him. If they do, they won't get any Egyptian diseases. Then they come to a place called Elim, where there are trees and water.
Last Edited 9/12/15
*Moses and the Israelites sing a song about how awesome Yahweh is for killing all those Egyptians who were after them. Not only that, but other nations will hear about this and tremble as the Israelites pass by. Yaweh will plant the Israelites on the mountain of his inheritance. Miriam, Moses's and Aaron's sister, and all the Israelite women, sang and danced with tambourines. So, how did all the Israelites know this song? Did somebody write down the lyrics, make a million copies, and pass them out? or did they spontaneously burst out in song all at the same time? There must have been hundreds of thousands of women. The text says all the women followed Miriam's example. That's a lot of tambourines. If we seriously think of these events as actual events, happening in real time, it should be easy to recognize the practical impossibilities.
*The song also says "Who among the gods is like you?" This implies there are other gods.
*Then, Moses led the people away from the Red Sea, or the Sea of Reeds, depending who you ask, into the desert of Shur. For three days over a million people wandered in the desert without finding water. When they did find some, it was bitter. The people complained. Moses cried out to Yahweh who showed him a piece of wood to throw in the water to make it sweet. Next, Yahweh speaks of himself in the third person to tell the Israelites to obey him. If they do, they won't get any Egyptian diseases. Then they come to a place called Elim, where there are trees and water.
Last Edited 9/12/15
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Exodus chapter 14
After reading chapter 14:
*Then Yahweh told Moses to tell the Israelites to turn back and camp in another spot, this was to fake out Pharoah and make him think they don't know what they are doing. Yahweh was doing this to prove himself to the Egyptians. When Pharoah was told that the Israelites had fled, he changed his mind because he realized he had lost all that slave labor. He took an army of six hundred chariots, plus chariots with officers, and chased after the million-plus Israelites.
*The Israelites were terrified and accused Moses of bringing them out of Egypt to die. They had told him they would rather stay in Egypt and serve the Pharoah. Moses told them not to be afraid because God would fight for them. Yahweh asked what Moses was fussing about and ordered him to raise his magic staff and part the waters of the sea, so they could cross on dry ground. God would make the Egyptians follow and teach them a lesson they would never forget.
*The pillar of cloud they had been following then moved from in front of them to behind them and came between the Israelites and the Egyptians, obscuring the Egyptian's view. So, they did not get any nearer during the night. Moses stretched out his hand and a strong east wind drove back the waters and dried the land. This is the same direction the wind that brought the locusts came from. All million- plus Israelites crossed through the sea between walls of water. The Egyptians followed them into the sea. Just before dawn, Yahweh looked down on the Egyptians from the pillar of fire and cloud. (Aha!) He threw them into confusion by making the wheels fall off their chariots. After that, the Egyptians were eager to get out of there.
*Yahweh told Moses to stretch out his hand and at daybreak the water went back to its usual place. The entire Egyptian army was annihilated. In the meantime, over a million people had crossed over on dry land. When the Israelites saw the dead Egyptians on the shore they trusted Yahweh, with Moses as his servant. There is no reason to believe this ever happened.
How much is a million? (Video)
To put it in perspective, San Jose, California, and Austin, Texas, have populations of about one million. A million people is more than just a mob. Imagine one person herding that many people who didn't want to be herded, not to mention women and children on foot, plus herds of animals. The logistics are mind boggling, and frankly unbelievable. Think about what it is like trying to get to the parking lot after a large concert or football game, multiply that by a factor of 100, throw in herds of sheep and goats.
Last edited 9/12/15
*Then Yahweh told Moses to tell the Israelites to turn back and camp in another spot, this was to fake out Pharoah and make him think they don't know what they are doing. Yahweh was doing this to prove himself to the Egyptians. When Pharoah was told that the Israelites had fled, he changed his mind because he realized he had lost all that slave labor. He took an army of six hundred chariots, plus chariots with officers, and chased after the million-plus Israelites.
*The Israelites were terrified and accused Moses of bringing them out of Egypt to die. They had told him they would rather stay in Egypt and serve the Pharoah. Moses told them not to be afraid because God would fight for them. Yahweh asked what Moses was fussing about and ordered him to raise his magic staff and part the waters of the sea, so they could cross on dry ground. God would make the Egyptians follow and teach them a lesson they would never forget.
*The pillar of cloud they had been following then moved from in front of them to behind them and came between the Israelites and the Egyptians, obscuring the Egyptian's view. So, they did not get any nearer during the night. Moses stretched out his hand and a strong east wind drove back the waters and dried the land. This is the same direction the wind that brought the locusts came from. All million- plus Israelites crossed through the sea between walls of water. The Egyptians followed them into the sea. Just before dawn, Yahweh looked down on the Egyptians from the pillar of fire and cloud. (Aha!) He threw them into confusion by making the wheels fall off their chariots. After that, the Egyptians were eager to get out of there.
*Yahweh told Moses to stretch out his hand and at daybreak the water went back to its usual place. The entire Egyptian army was annihilated. In the meantime, over a million people had crossed over on dry land. When the Israelites saw the dead Egyptians on the shore they trusted Yahweh, with Moses as his servant. There is no reason to believe this ever happened.
How much is a million? (Video)
To put it in perspective, San Jose, California, and Austin, Texas, have populations of about one million. A million people is more than just a mob. Imagine one person herding that many people who didn't want to be herded, not to mention women and children on foot, plus herds of animals. The logistics are mind boggling, and frankly unbelievable. Think about what it is like trying to get to the parking lot after a large concert or football game, multiply that by a factor of 100, throw in herds of sheep and goats.
Last edited 9/12/15
Exodus chapter 13
After reading chapter 13:
*The first part of the chapter looks into the future and introduces us to the first Israelite rules. They begin with instructions for the seven day feast of unleavened bread, again. This must be observed at the proper time, year after year. Next, the Israelites are told that all first born males of people and animals belong to Yahweh. Make no mistake, this represents a physical sacrifice (slaughter). However, a lamb may be sacrificed in place of a donkey. If a firstborn male donkey is not redeemed by a lamb, it's neck must be broken. Lovely. First born sons are not to be sacrificed but also redeemed by the blood of a lamb. Part of the ritual is answering children's questions about those practices in the proscribed manner.
*When the Israelites left Egypt they did not take the quick route to Canaan because of the possibility of war. Instead, God led them around by the desert road. They were armed for battle any way. The bones of Joseph were taken with them to fulfill his dying request. One wonders what the point of that was. Could it be the Israelites and Joseph believed that wherever Joseph's bones were, he was?
*All of the million-plus people camped at the edge of the desert. They were guided by Yahweh in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire at night, so they could see in the dark. It did not leave them.
NOTE: I am in the habit of going back to previous posts to edit for grammar, spelling, and fact checking. From now on, I will include the last date of editing at the bottom of each post.
*The first part of the chapter looks into the future and introduces us to the first Israelite rules. They begin with instructions for the seven day feast of unleavened bread, again. This must be observed at the proper time, year after year. Next, the Israelites are told that all first born males of people and animals belong to Yahweh. Make no mistake, this represents a physical sacrifice (slaughter). However, a lamb may be sacrificed in place of a donkey. If a firstborn male donkey is not redeemed by a lamb, it's neck must be broken. Lovely. First born sons are not to be sacrificed but also redeemed by the blood of a lamb. Part of the ritual is answering children's questions about those practices in the proscribed manner.
*When the Israelites left Egypt they did not take the quick route to Canaan because of the possibility of war. Instead, God led them around by the desert road. They were armed for battle any way. The bones of Joseph were taken with them to fulfill his dying request. One wonders what the point of that was. Could it be the Israelites and Joseph believed that wherever Joseph's bones were, he was?
*All of the million-plus people camped at the edge of the desert. They were guided by Yahweh in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire at night, so they could see in the dark. It did not leave them.
NOTE: I am in the habit of going back to previous posts to edit for grammar, spelling, and fact checking. From now on, I will include the last date of editing at the bottom of each post.
Saturday, September 5, 2015
Exodus chapter 12 part 2
*It was still night when Pharoah summoned Moses and Aaron and told them to take the Israelites and all their possessions and get out of Egypt. He wanted a blessing too! The Egyptians hurried them along and gave them whatever they asked for on their way out. The text says it was because they were "favorably disposed" toward the people. Yeah, right. It also says the Israelites plundered Egypt.
*There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, not including women and children. That would be at least a million people. Verse 38 says there were others as well. The study bible speculates that some Egyptians went with them. I think, if it happened, it would probably have been their personal servants (slaves). However, there is absolutely no evidence that such an event ever happened. If you combine the plagues with the absence of over a million people, there should be evidence of a large scale economic collapse around that time.
*We are told that the Israelites left Egypt exactly 430 years from the day they entered. As I mentioned in the article in Exodus chapter 1, it would have been approximately 1337 B.C.E., if we begin counting from Bishop Ussher's date of 4,004 B.C.E. The Pharoahs who lived in and around this supposed time period are all accounted for in archaeological evidence. The Israelites in Egypt are not.
*Before the end of the chapter, the story of the Exodus is interrupted by more instructions about how to properly observe the Passover in the future. No foreigners, temporary residents, or hired workers may eat it. Slaves can, if they are circumcised. Any male non-Israelites wanting to celebrate the Passover must be circumcised. The Passover has to be eaten inside a house and no bones may be broken. These are strange instructions for a group of people who are themselves foreigners and temporary residents at the moment. They also no longer have houses.
*Before the end of the chapter, the story of the Exodus is interrupted by more instructions about how to properly observe the Passover in the future. No foreigners, temporary residents, or hired workers may eat it. Slaves can, if they are circumcised. Any male non-Israelites wanting to celebrate the Passover must be circumcised. The Passover has to be eaten inside a house and no bones may be broken. These are strange instructions for a group of people who are themselves foreigners and temporary residents at the moment. They also no longer have houses.
Exodus chapter 12 part 1
After reading Exodus chapter 12:
*Moses has just left Pharoah after telling him that at midnight every firstborn son would die. In the first part of chapter 12, Yahweh gives Moses instructions on how to annually commemorate the "Passover" which hasn't happened yet. The instructions are given as though it has already occurred.
*The month of these events is to be the first month of the Israelite year from now on. On the tenth day of the month, a young, unblemished, male goat or sheep is to be selected and saved to be slaughtered on the fourteen day of that month. The blood of the lamb is to be painted on the door frames of the houses in which the lamb is eaten. The meat is to be roasted over a fire and eaten with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. Every bit is to be consumed or burnt. It is to be eaten in a hurry in traveling clothes.
*Verses 12-13 are written as though Passover hasn't happened yet. That night God will kill all the firstborn Egyptians and animals. (Even though the animals have already been killed in previous chapters) God will pass over the houses with blood on the door frames. The people inside them will not be harmed. Yahweh will bring judgement on the gods of Egypt. Does he say the gods of Egypt don't exist and he is the only God? Nope.
*With verse 14 we are back to how these events will be commemorated in the future as a lasting ordinance. For seven days they will eat unleavened bread. Yeast is to be removed from the house on the first day and anyone who eats yeast from the first to the seventh days is to be cut off from Israel. (Harsh. I wonder if that sentence has ever been carried out.) There will be a sacred assembly on the first and seventh days. In between that, no work will be done, except for food preparation. This is called the feast of unleavened bread and commemorates God bringing the Israelites out of Egypt, even though it hasn't happened yet. Verses 18-20 are a repetion of the previous instructions with slightly different wording.
*In verse 21, Moses repeats god's instructions about the lamb and the blood to the Israelites. He tells them to make sure they stay indoors and God will not let the destroyer get them. Sounds like a child's worst nightmare. We are not told who or what the destroyer is. Moses tells the Israelites to make sure they keep this ceremony and explain it to their children when they get to the land he promised them. Then the people bowed down and worshipped. They did what Moses said. At midnight all the firstborn of Egypt from the throne to the prison, plus the non-existent livestock, were killed by Yahweh. There was loud wailing in Egypt. No kidding. I wonder if the Egyptians were still favorably disposed to the Israelites after that.
*After reading the bible this far, one might get the idea that God doesn't like firstborn males very much. Oddly enough, Pharoah himself should have been a firstborn son, but he didn't die. Maybe he got off on a technicality.
*Moses has just left Pharoah after telling him that at midnight every firstborn son would die. In the first part of chapter 12, Yahweh gives Moses instructions on how to annually commemorate the "Passover" which hasn't happened yet. The instructions are given as though it has already occurred.
*The month of these events is to be the first month of the Israelite year from now on. On the tenth day of the month, a young, unblemished, male goat or sheep is to be selected and saved to be slaughtered on the fourteen day of that month. The blood of the lamb is to be painted on the door frames of the houses in which the lamb is eaten. The meat is to be roasted over a fire and eaten with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. Every bit is to be consumed or burnt. It is to be eaten in a hurry in traveling clothes.
*Verses 12-13 are written as though Passover hasn't happened yet. That night God will kill all the firstborn Egyptians and animals. (Even though the animals have already been killed in previous chapters) God will pass over the houses with blood on the door frames. The people inside them will not be harmed. Yahweh will bring judgement on the gods of Egypt. Does he say the gods of Egypt don't exist and he is the only God? Nope.
*With verse 14 we are back to how these events will be commemorated in the future as a lasting ordinance. For seven days they will eat unleavened bread. Yeast is to be removed from the house on the first day and anyone who eats yeast from the first to the seventh days is to be cut off from Israel. (Harsh. I wonder if that sentence has ever been carried out.) There will be a sacred assembly on the first and seventh days. In between that, no work will be done, except for food preparation. This is called the feast of unleavened bread and commemorates God bringing the Israelites out of Egypt, even though it hasn't happened yet. Verses 18-20 are a repetion of the previous instructions with slightly different wording.
*In verse 21, Moses repeats god's instructions about the lamb and the blood to the Israelites. He tells them to make sure they stay indoors and God will not let the destroyer get them. Sounds like a child's worst nightmare. We are not told who or what the destroyer is. Moses tells the Israelites to make sure they keep this ceremony and explain it to their children when they get to the land he promised them. Then the people bowed down and worshipped. They did what Moses said. At midnight all the firstborn of Egypt from the throne to the prison, plus the non-existent livestock, were killed by Yahweh. There was loud wailing in Egypt. No kidding. I wonder if the Egyptians were still favorably disposed to the Israelites after that.
*After reading the bible this far, one might get the idea that God doesn't like firstborn males very much. Oddly enough, Pharoah himself should have been a firstborn son, but he didn't die. Maybe he got off on a technicality.
Friday, September 4, 2015
Exodus chapter 11
After reading chapter 11:
* Yahweh tells Moses there will be one more plague and it will make Pharoah drive the Israelites out of Egypt. When they go, they are to ask their neighbors, who are presumably Egyptians, for their silver and gold. Apparently most of the Egyptians liked Moses and the Israelites, except for Pharoah. What??? This makes no sense, considering that Moses is responsible for calling on God to bring plagues upon the land. The Egyptian people supposedly no longer have any livestock or produce. They have endured boils, insect bites, putrid water, and three days of darkness. Yet, they are so "favorably disposed" to the Israelites they would be willing to give them riches? Does this sound like reality to you?
*Apparently, before Moses left Pharoah in chapter 10, he told Pharoah that Yahweh said he would kill every first born son in Egypt, including Pharoah's son. He would kill all the first born cattle too. (What cattle?! See chapter 9.) Nothing would happen to the Israelites because God can tell the difference between an Israelite and an Egyptian. (DNA?) Moses predicted that Pharoah's officials would come to him and beg the Israelites to leave. But God hardened Pharoah's heart and he would not let the Israelites leave.
* Yahweh tells Moses there will be one more plague and it will make Pharoah drive the Israelites out of Egypt. When they go, they are to ask their neighbors, who are presumably Egyptians, for their silver and gold. Apparently most of the Egyptians liked Moses and the Israelites, except for Pharoah. What??? This makes no sense, considering that Moses is responsible for calling on God to bring plagues upon the land. The Egyptian people supposedly no longer have any livestock or produce. They have endured boils, insect bites, putrid water, and three days of darkness. Yet, they are so "favorably disposed" to the Israelites they would be willing to give them riches? Does this sound like reality to you?
*Apparently, before Moses left Pharoah in chapter 10, he told Pharoah that Yahweh said he would kill every first born son in Egypt, including Pharoah's son. He would kill all the first born cattle too. (What cattle?! See chapter 9.) Nothing would happen to the Israelites because God can tell the difference between an Israelite and an Egyptian. (DNA?) Moses predicted that Pharoah's officials would come to him and beg the Israelites to leave. But God hardened Pharoah's heart and he would not let the Israelites leave.
Exodus chapter 10
After reading chapter 10:
*God tells Moses he has hardened Pharoah's heart so that some day the Israelites will have exciting stories to tell their grandchildren. Then Moses and Aaron go threaten Pharoah with locusts like he had never seen before. Pharoah's officials advise him to let the Israelites go, Egypt is already ruined because of them.
*Pharoah tells Moses and Aaron they can go worship their God. Then he asks, "By the way, who is going with you?" Moses says that all the Israelites and their livestock are going to celebrate a festival to Yahweh. Pharoah thinks they are up to no good and says only the men can go. Then Moses and Aaron are kicked out. Moses stretches out his magic hand and God made an east wind bring in hordes of locusts. They covered everything. They ate everything that had been left after the hail. Even though the hail had supposedly stripped all the leaves from the trees, this time they were really really destroyed. Pharoah called Moses and Aaron back and asked them to pray for the locusts to go away. They did, and God sent a west wind to blow all the locusts into the Red Sea. Pharoah still would not let Moses and his people go.
*God tells Moses to stretch out his hand toward the sky and a darkness that can be felt will cover Egypt. The darkness was so thick that none of the Egyptians could see anyone else for three days. The Israelites, however, had light where they lived. Then Pharoah told them they could all go to worship Yahweh, but they had to leave the animals behind. Moses said all the animals must go because they had no idea what God would want for a sacrifice once they got to the desert. (Excuses, excuses.) Pharoah wasn't willing to let all those people and animals go. Pharoah told Moses to go away from his sight and never come back or he would be killed. Moses said, "As you wish."
* I notice that in the last few chapters Moses is no longer using his staff, but his hand. He also appears to be relying on Aaron less. I wonder where Moses was staying during this time. Did he travel back and forth constantly between Goshen and the capital city where the Pharoah lived? Or did he camp out in front of the palace?
Last edited 9/12/15
*God tells Moses he has hardened Pharoah's heart so that some day the Israelites will have exciting stories to tell their grandchildren. Then Moses and Aaron go threaten Pharoah with locusts like he had never seen before. Pharoah's officials advise him to let the Israelites go, Egypt is already ruined because of them.
*Pharoah tells Moses and Aaron they can go worship their God. Then he asks, "By the way, who is going with you?" Moses says that all the Israelites and their livestock are going to celebrate a festival to Yahweh. Pharoah thinks they are up to no good and says only the men can go. Then Moses and Aaron are kicked out. Moses stretches out his magic hand and God made an east wind bring in hordes of locusts. They covered everything. They ate everything that had been left after the hail. Even though the hail had supposedly stripped all the leaves from the trees, this time they were really really destroyed. Pharoah called Moses and Aaron back and asked them to pray for the locusts to go away. They did, and God sent a west wind to blow all the locusts into the Red Sea. Pharoah still would not let Moses and his people go.
*God tells Moses to stretch out his hand toward the sky and a darkness that can be felt will cover Egypt. The darkness was so thick that none of the Egyptians could see anyone else for three days. The Israelites, however, had light where they lived. Then Pharoah told them they could all go to worship Yahweh, but they had to leave the animals behind. Moses said all the animals must go because they had no idea what God would want for a sacrifice once they got to the desert. (Excuses, excuses.) Pharoah wasn't willing to let all those people and animals go. Pharoah told Moses to go away from his sight and never come back or he would be killed. Moses said, "As you wish."
* I notice that in the last few chapters Moses is no longer using his staff, but his hand. He also appears to be relying on Aaron less. I wonder where Moses was staying during this time. Did he travel back and forth constantly between Goshen and the capital city where the Pharoah lived? Or did he camp out in front of the palace?
Last edited 9/12/15
Thursday, September 3, 2015
Exodus chapter 9
After reading chapter 9:
*God tells Moses to tell Pharoah there will be a plague on all the livestock if he doesn't let the Iraelites go. The Israelites' animals would not be affected. The next day, all the Egyptian livestock died, the Israelite livestock did not die. Pharoah still would not let the people go.
*Then God told Moses to take soot from a furnace and toss it into the air in front of Pharoah. The soot would become fine dust and cause festering boils on all the men and animals in Egypt. (Wait a minute, weren't all the animals dead from the previous plague?) Even the magicians had boils. Pharoah still would not let the people go. Today we know that boils are caused by bacteria.
*Now God tells Moses to tell Pharoah he hasn't seen anything yet. God is now going to unleash the full force of his plagues. If he wanted to, he could wipe them out. In fact it was God who made them great, just so he could perform this demonstration of his power. The next show would be the hailstorm of all hailstorms. They better bring their livestock and slaves indoors. (Um, what livestock??) So, Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky and there was a violent hailstorm. All the livestock left outdoors was struck. (again) Everything growing in the fields was beat down and all the trees were stripped, but not where the Israelites lived. We are told it was just the barley and flax that had been destroyed, not the wheat and spelt.
*Pharoah summoned Moses and Aaron. He said, "Yahweh is right, we are wrong. Make it stop hailing and you can go." Moses went out of the city and spread his hands toward the lord (Where is that?). The hail stopped and Pharoah changed his mind. He wouldn't let the Israelites go.
*God tells Moses to tell Pharoah there will be a plague on all the livestock if he doesn't let the Iraelites go. The Israelites' animals would not be affected. The next day, all the Egyptian livestock died, the Israelite livestock did not die. Pharoah still would not let the people go.
*Then God told Moses to take soot from a furnace and toss it into the air in front of Pharoah. The soot would become fine dust and cause festering boils on all the men and animals in Egypt. (Wait a minute, weren't all the animals dead from the previous plague?) Even the magicians had boils. Pharoah still would not let the people go. Today we know that boils are caused by bacteria.
*Now God tells Moses to tell Pharoah he hasn't seen anything yet. God is now going to unleash the full force of his plagues. If he wanted to, he could wipe them out. In fact it was God who made them great, just so he could perform this demonstration of his power. The next show would be the hailstorm of all hailstorms. They better bring their livestock and slaves indoors. (Um, what livestock??) So, Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky and there was a violent hailstorm. All the livestock left outdoors was struck. (again) Everything growing in the fields was beat down and all the trees were stripped, but not where the Israelites lived. We are told it was just the barley and flax that had been destroyed, not the wheat and spelt.
*Pharoah summoned Moses and Aaron. He said, "Yahweh is right, we are wrong. Make it stop hailing and you can go." Moses went out of the city and spread his hands toward the lord (Where is that?). The hail stopped and Pharoah changed his mind. He wouldn't let the Israelites go.
Exodus chapter 8
After reading chapter 8:
*Seven days passed from the Nile turning into blood. God told Moses to tell Pharoah to let the Israelites go or there would be a plague of frogs. Then God told Moses to tell Aaron to stretch his hand over the waters of Egypt and frogs came up and covered the land. Pharoah's magicians were able to do the same thing. Pharoah asked Moses to pray to Yahweh to get rid of the frogs, then he would let the people go. Moses gave Pharoah the honor of choosing the time that the frogs would leave. For some crazy reason, Pharoah said tomorrow instead of right now. So, Moses asked God to get rid of the frogs and they all died, except for the ones in the Nile. However, Pharoah would not let the people go.
*Next, God told Moses to tell Aaron to stretch out his hand over the dust and it would turn into gnats. Aaron did that. Pharoah's magicians were not able to match that trick. They told Pharoah it was the finger of God, but he still wouldn't let the Israelites go.
* I still don't get why God couldn't talk to Aaron directly. Maybe it has something to do with Moses being the favored younger brother.
*Seven days passed from the Nile turning into blood. God told Moses to tell Pharoah to let the Israelites go or there would be a plague of frogs. Then God told Moses to tell Aaron to stretch his hand over the waters of Egypt and frogs came up and covered the land. Pharoah's magicians were able to do the same thing. Pharoah asked Moses to pray to Yahweh to get rid of the frogs, then he would let the people go. Moses gave Pharoah the honor of choosing the time that the frogs would leave. For some crazy reason, Pharoah said tomorrow instead of right now. So, Moses asked God to get rid of the frogs and they all died, except for the ones in the Nile. However, Pharoah would not let the people go.
*Next, God told Moses to tell Aaron to stretch out his hand over the dust and it would turn into gnats. Aaron did that. Pharoah's magicians were not able to match that trick. They told Pharoah it was the finger of God, but he still wouldn't let the Israelites go.
* I still don't get why God couldn't talk to Aaron directly. Maybe it has something to do with Moses being the favored younger brother.
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Exodus chapter 7
After reading chapter 7:
*God tells Moses to tell Pharoah whatever God tells him. Moses balks. God says Moses will be like God and Aaron will be his messenger, telling Pharoah everything that God tells Moses. However, God will harden Pharoah's heart and no matter what miraculous signs occur, he will not listen. But God will teach the Egyptians a hard lesson, and will bring the Israelites out of Egypt. At this time, Moses was 80 and Aaron was 83, both well past retirement age. Notice that Moses was the younger brother.
*Moses and Aaron went to Pharoah and magically turned the staff into a snake. Pharoah's wise men were able to do the same thing with their staffs, but Aaron's snake swallowed up their snakes. Pharoah still wouldn't listen to them.
*Then God told Moses to take the staff to the River Nile when Pharoah went to the water. He was to tell Pharoah to let the Israelites go to worship Yahweh in the desert. Then, as proof of God, when Moses stretched his staff out over the water, all the water in Egypt would turn to blood and all the fish would die. No Egyptians would be able to drink the water. It happened just that way. However, Pharoah's magicians were able to perform the same trick. So, he wouldn't let the Israelites go.
*God tells Moses to tell Pharoah whatever God tells him. Moses balks. God says Moses will be like God and Aaron will be his messenger, telling Pharoah everything that God tells Moses. However, God will harden Pharoah's heart and no matter what miraculous signs occur, he will not listen. But God will teach the Egyptians a hard lesson, and will bring the Israelites out of Egypt. At this time, Moses was 80 and Aaron was 83, both well past retirement age. Notice that Moses was the younger brother.
*Moses and Aaron went to Pharoah and magically turned the staff into a snake. Pharoah's wise men were able to do the same thing with their staffs, but Aaron's snake swallowed up their snakes. Pharoah still wouldn't listen to them.
*Then God told Moses to take the staff to the River Nile when Pharoah went to the water. He was to tell Pharoah to let the Israelites go to worship Yahweh in the desert. Then, as proof of God, when Moses stretched his staff out over the water, all the water in Egypt would turn to blood and all the fish would die. No Egyptians would be able to drink the water. It happened just that way. However, Pharoah's magicians were able to perform the same trick. So, he wouldn't let the Israelites go.
Exodus chapter 6 part 3
*In the clan section we see that:
-Each of Moses's direct ancestors supposedly lived well past 100 years
-Moses and Aaron were from the tribe of Levi. Their mother was their paternal grandfather's sister, therefore also from the tribe of Levi. Levi was the father of Kohath, Moses's grandfather, and Jochebed, Moses's mother. Kohath was the father of Amram, Moses's father. In other words, Moses's father married his own aunt.
-Aaron's wife Elisheba was the daughter of Aminidab and the sister of Nashon. This is very interesting because, if we look ahead to the book of Ruth 4:18-22, which supposedly would have been written hundreds of years later, we see that Aminidab was the great grandson of Perez, the son of Judah by Tamar back in Genesis chapter 38. Nashon was supposedly the great, great, great grandfather of David. The text is anticipating David, surely not a coincidence.
-In 400 years of captivity, there were only four or five generations born, from the children of Jacob to the children of Moses and Aaron.
-My study bible's footnotes say that the ages and generations don't quite work in real time, so there must be an explanation for the discrepancy. Maybe the text doesn't mean what it says and the word father needs to be interpreted loosely. Maybe it really means "ancestor." Except that doesn't quite work either.
-Each of Moses's direct ancestors supposedly lived well past 100 years
-Moses and Aaron were from the tribe of Levi. Their mother was their paternal grandfather's sister, therefore also from the tribe of Levi. Levi was the father of Kohath, Moses's grandfather, and Jochebed, Moses's mother. Kohath was the father of Amram, Moses's father. In other words, Moses's father married his own aunt.
-Aaron's wife Elisheba was the daughter of Aminidab and the sister of Nashon. This is very interesting because, if we look ahead to the book of Ruth 4:18-22, which supposedly would have been written hundreds of years later, we see that Aminidab was the great grandson of Perez, the son of Judah by Tamar back in Genesis chapter 38. Nashon was supposedly the great, great, great grandfather of David. The text is anticipating David, surely not a coincidence.
-In 400 years of captivity, there were only four or five generations born, from the children of Jacob to the children of Moses and Aaron.
-My study bible's footnotes say that the ages and generations don't quite work in real time, so there must be an explanation for the discrepancy. Maybe the text doesn't mean what it says and the word father needs to be interpreted loosely. Maybe it really means "ancestor." Except that doesn't quite work either.
Chapter 6 part 2
* Now we learn about the clans of the Israelites and are introduced to some characters that will appear later. The text states that the Israelites kept records of the clans. One wonders in what language those records were kept, if they were actually kept. After 400 years in Egypt, the Israelites would have assimilated much of the Egyptian language and culture, even if they had their own dialect. Assimilation and blending of cultures doesn't take that long. Sometimes it occurs in as little as one or two generations. On what medium did the Israelites keep their records? How did the Israelites store and maintain 400 years worth of geneologies? Think about how long 400 years is in terms of your own life and past history.
* Moses, presumably educated separately by the Egyptians, would have spoken and written, if he actually existed and could write, in the language of the Egyptians at that time, not Hebrew. Even the Israelites would not have been likely to speak or write Hebrew at that time. In the bible story so far, everyone seems to be able to communicate with no problem as they travel from place to place, almost like they have Star Trek universal translators. In reality, every tribe or nation would have had its own Language or dialect. Many would not have been able to communicate in writing. Just as in other times, communication methods would have included gestures, pictures drawn in the sand or other medium, and translators familiar with multiple languages. The biggest question of all is "What language did God speak?"
* Moses, presumably educated separately by the Egyptians, would have spoken and written, if he actually existed and could write, in the language of the Egyptians at that time, not Hebrew. Even the Israelites would not have been likely to speak or write Hebrew at that time. In the bible story so far, everyone seems to be able to communicate with no problem as they travel from place to place, almost like they have Star Trek universal translators. In reality, every tribe or nation would have had its own Language or dialect. Many would not have been able to communicate in writing. Just as in other times, communication methods would have included gestures, pictures drawn in the sand or other medium, and translators familiar with multiple languages. The biggest question of all is "What language did God speak?"
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