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Currently Browsing: Book 04 - Numbers
Posted by admin | Feb 25th, 2010
The Bible Slam: Numbers Chapter 36
In the concluding chapter of Numbers, we learn about tribal inheritances and kissing cousins.
In Numbers 27, Moses decreed that Zelophehad's children — who consisted solely of five daughters and no sons — were entitled to inheritance. That didn't sit too well with various tribal chiefs, who complained to Moses that when the women married, the inheritances would go to their husbands who...
Posted by admin | Feb 24th, 2010
The Bible Slam: Numbers Chapter 35
More instructions are given about the division of land taken as "an inheritance" and of course, there are instructions about how much the priests (Levites) get to have.
Cities of refuge are to be created so that people who accidentally kill someone can hide from the deceased's avenging relatives. The difference between an accidental death vs. what is murder is explained. The death penalty...
Posted by admin | Feb 23rd, 2010
The Bible Slam: Numbers Chapter 34
In this chapter, Yahweh (through Moses) tells the people of Israel that they will "inherit" that land of Canaan and gives detailed instructions on where the boundaries will be located. As we have learned in Numbers 32, this inheritance is to be taken by war.
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Posted by admin | Feb 22nd, 2010
The Bible Slam: Numbers Chapter 33
In this chapter, we get a recount of the Israelites' 40-year-journey out of Egypt. The chapter concludes with the reason why they massacred the Midianites, described in the previous chapters, when they took 32,000 virgins to do with as they pleased.
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Posted by admin | Feb 21st, 2010
The Bible Slam: Numbers Chapter 32
The tribes of Reuben and Gad tell Moses that they prefer to live on the east side of the Jordan River instead of with the rest of Israel on the west side which remained to be conquered, and Moses has a fit, thinking that they were deserting the army. He says that their ancestors tried to pull the same stunt and because of it, the children of Israel were forced to wander around for 40 years because God was...
Posted by admin | Feb 21st, 2010
The Bible Slam: Numbers Chapter 31
Many people who finally sit down and read the Bible from cover to cover are appalled by the barbarism and butchery advocated by the Christian god. Numbers Chapter 31 is often cited as an example of the pure evil and lack of empathy advocated in the Old Testament. The actions described in this chapter, which were apparently commanded by God and Moses, would be considered war crimes by today's standards.
In...
Posted by admin | Feb 10th, 2010
The Bible Slam: Numbers Chapter 30
This chapter concerns vows … and hints at the Biblical disdain for women.
Men who make vows with God are held accountable for the vows, which cannot be broken.
In "the statutes, which the LORD commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between the father and his daughter, being yet in her youth in her father's house," a woman living with her father or with a husband can make a...
Posted by admin | Feb 10th, 2010
The Bible Slam: Numbers Chapter 29
The recipes for God's Holy Kitchen continue to flow, with various animal sacrifices for "the burnt offering of the month," atonement, sin, peace, and various festivals and solemn assemblies. Batches of a dozen or so animals are to be sacrificed for some of the occasions.
Mixtures of flour and olive oil are prescribed. No animals having blemishes can be sacrificed.
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Posted by admin | Feb 10th, 2010
The Bible Slam: Numbers Chapter 28
This chapter describes a bunch of animal sacrifices and "burnt offerings" that smell good to the Lord. Offerings for the first of the month, the sabbath, Passover, the Days of Unleavened Bread, and the day of Atonement are prescribed.
The recipes for God's Holy Kitchen call for different animals, various mixtures of liquids, different mixtures of flour and oil, and on and on. There's...
Posted by admin | Feb 10th, 2010
The Bible Slam: Numbers Chapter 27
Ask and you shall receive! In the previous chapter's discussion points, we asked about what would happen to the inheritances of the daughters of Zelophehad, who had no sons. The five daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. In Numbers 27, they approach Moses about their inheritance. Moses and Yahweh decide that if a man dies without sons, his inheritance will pass to the daughters. ...
Posted by admin | Feb 10th, 2010
The Bible Slam: Numbers Chapter 26
In this chapter, Moses and Yahweh conspire for war. All men who were 20 years old and up were drafted. The chapter recounts various episodes that happened previously in the book of Numbers, as well as the genealogies of the tribes of Israel.
The people are told that they will conquer the land and divide it by drawing lots.
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Posted by admin | Feb 7th, 2010
The Bible Slam: Numbers Chapter 25
The "inerrant" word of the God returns from cute talking donkeys and songs of praise for Israel to barbaric practices, plagues and murder in Numbers Chapter 25.
The men go a whoring with the Moabite women and in doing so, join the women in worshiping another god. Yahweh and Moses are furious. God tells Moses to have all the ringleaders beheaded and to hang their heads toward the sun. Yahweh...
Posted by admin | Feb 7th, 2010
The Bible Slam: Numbers Chapter 24
Balaam decides not to curse the Israelites because he's powerless against the Lord, anyway, and talks about how wonderful they are and blesses them. King Balak is furious. Balaam talks about how the nations will be destroyed unless they obey the God of Israel.
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Posted by admin | Jan 22nd, 2010
The Bible Slam: Numbers Chapter 23
Despite the urging of King Balak, Balaam of Moab sacrifices some animals and decides not to curse the Israelites. The Lord appears to Balaam when he sacrifices animals, which is interesting in that the Lord would only appear to Moses in previous chapters.
God claims he doesn't lie or repent in this chapter, which is refuted in other parts of the Bible.
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Posted by admin | Jan 22nd, 2010
The Bible Slam: Numbers Chapter 22
This chapter features a talking donkey!
The Israelites are camped out in Moab, and the people of Moab are not happy about it because of the Israelites' warlike character and reputation. The king asks Balaam to cast a curse on the Israelites.
God talks to Balaam and convinces Balaam to not cast the curse. He talks with him directly and also has his donkey talk to him. In previous chapters, only Moses...
Posted by admin | Jan 9th, 2010
The Bible Slam: Numbers Chapter 21
There's a lot of killing in this chapter, all inspired by God.
First, the LORD hears the cries and Israel and "utterly destroys" the Canaanites and their cities.
Then, despite all kinds of punishments described in previous chapters for complaining, the Israelites complain about having only manna to eat and no water, so God sends "fiery serpents" which bite them and kill them. Moses...
Posted by admin | Jan 9th, 2010
The Bible Slam: Numbers Chapter 20
Moses and Aaron's sister Miriam dies in this chapter.
Despite thousands of people getting killed by God for questioning in Numbers 16 and despite and Aaron's magic trick in Number 17 to prove that no one is allowed to complain, the people are complaining again. In this chapter, they are upset because there is no water. Moses strikes a rock and water comes out.
The people of Israel continue their...
Posted by admin | Jan 1st, 2010
The Bible Slam: Numbers Chapter 19
Numbers 19 prescribes more blood sprinkling ceremonies, the sacrifice of a red heifer (see the discussion below about contemporary beliefs on this subject) and goes on and on about how people are ceremonially unclean if they touch dead people.
The purification ceremonies and bloody rituals are statutes that are to be kept forever.
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