The Skeptics Annotated Bible
Page 24
(19.12-13) Any person or animal that touches Mt. Sinai shall be stoned to death or “shot through.” Did Moses impose such severe penalties because he feared that someone might see him fake his meeting with God?
12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:
(19.12) “Whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death.”
13 There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.
(19.13) “He shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man.”
14 And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.
15 And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.
(19.15) “Be ready against the third day: Come not at your wives.” Moses, like a coach giving instructions to the team before the big game, tells the men to “come not at your wives” before he goes up to Mt. Sinai.
(19.16-21) A magical trumpet blared while God came down in smoke, fire, and earthquakes onto Mt. Sinai, saying, “I am Oz, the Great and Powerful.”
16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.
(19.16) “On the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud.”
17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.
18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.
(19.18) “And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.”
19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.
(19.19) “When the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.”
20 And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.
(19.20) “And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.”
105 Who gave the law to Moses?
21 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.
(19.21) “The LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.” Like the great and powerful Wizard of Oz, nobody can see God and live. Not nobody. Not Nohow.
22 And let the priests also, which come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them.
23 And Moses said unto the LORD, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it.
24 And the LORD said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the LORD, lest he break forth upon them.
25 So Moses went down unto the people, and spake unto them.
EXODUS 20
20 And God spake all these words, saying,
2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
(20.3) “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
9 How many gods are there?
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
(20.4) “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.”
106 Is it OK to make images?
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
(20.5) “I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.”
41 Are we punished for the sins of others?
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
(20.8) “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.”
101 Is it necessary to keep the Sabbath?
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
(20.11) “In six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is.” Believers often say that the “days” of creation should be taken allegorically, but this verse is quite clear. God created the universe in six 24 hour days.
(20.12-16) The (more or less) good commandments. (The only ones Jesus seemed to know or care about.)
12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
(20.12) “Honour thy father and thy mother.”
107 How should parents be treated?>
108 Is it OK to call your father (or anyone else) father?
13 Thou shalt not kill.
(20.13) “Thou shalt not kill.”
109 To kill or not to kill
14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
(20.14) “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”
110 Is it wrong to commit adultery?
15 Thou shalt not steal.
(20.15) “Thou shalt not steal.”
91 Is it wrong to steal?
16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
(20.16) “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.” 86 Is it wrong to lie?
17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.
(20.17) “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, … nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.” To the God of the Bible, women and slaves (servants in the KJV) are the property of men; they are his possessions—like an ox or an ass.
111 Is it OK to covet?
42 Does God approve of slavery?
18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.
19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.
21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.
22 And the LORD said unto Mose
s, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.
(20.22) “The LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.”
105 Who gave the law to Moses?
23 Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.
24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.
(20.24) “Thou shalt … sacrifice … burnt offerings.”
20 Does God desire animal sacrifices?
96 Did God command the Israelites to make burnt offerings?
25 And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.
26 Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.
(20.26) “Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.” God tells the priests not to go up the steps to the altar “that thy nakedness not be discovered thereon.” (Skirts on stairs are a problem.)
EXODUS 21
21 Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them.
(21.2-6) God’s rules for buying slaves and splitting up their families You can buy one, but you must set him free on the seventh year. If you have “given” him a wife and she bears children, then you get to keep the wife and kids. If he refuses to leave his family when his seven years are up, then bore a hole though his ear and keep him forever. (That sounds fair!)
42 Does God approve of slavery?
2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.
(21.2) “If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free.”
3 If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him.
4 If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself.
(21.4) “If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself.”
5 And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free:
(21.5) “And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free.”
6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.
(21.6) “Then his master shall … bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.”
(21.7-8) How to sell your daughter—and what to do if she fails to please her new master.
7 And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do.
(21.7) “If a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant …”
8 If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her.
(21.8) “If she please not her master …”
9 And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters.
10 If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish.
(21.10) “If he take him another wife …” God’s rules for “taking” another wife
16 Is polygamy OK?.
11 And if he do not these three unto her, then shall she go out free without money.
12 He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.
13 And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.
14 But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.
(21.15, 17) A child who hits or curses his parents must be executed.
23 Does God approve of capital punishment?
15 And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
(21.15) “He that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.”
16 And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
(21.16) “He that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.” Slavery is approved by God, and those who steal slaves must be killed. 42 Does God approve of slavery?
17 And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
(21.17) “He that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.”
18 And if men strive together, and one smite another with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed:
19 If he rise again, and walk abroad upon his staff, then shall he that smote him be quit: only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall cause him to be thoroughly healed.
(21.20-27) Slowly beating your slaves to death It’s okay with God if you slowly beat your slaves to death. After all, they are your money. Just make sure that they survive at least a day or two after the beating. But try not to knock out their teeth or eyes. Otherwise you may have to set them free.
20 And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished.
21 Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money.
(21.20-21) “If a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and … he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money.”
22 If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.
(21.22) “If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.” If two men fight and cause a woman to miscarry, but do not hurt her, then the one who hurt her shall pay her husband an amount determined by the judges. Only if the woman dies is the punishment to be death. Apparently, then, with respect to abortion, God is pro-choice since he considers a woman’s life to be more important than that of the fetus.
23 And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,
24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
(21.24) “Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.”
25 Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
26 And if a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye’s sake.
(21.26) “If a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye’s sake.”
27 And if he smite out his manservant’s tooth, or his maidservant’s tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth’s sake.
(21.27) “And if he smite out his manservant’s tooth, or his maidservant’s tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth’s sake.”
(21.28-32) Capital punishment for animals (and their negligent owners)
28 If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die: then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be quit.
(21.28) “If an ox gore a man or a woman, that
they die: then the ox shall be surely stoned.”
29 But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death.
(21.29) “If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death.”
30 If there be laid on him a sum of money, then he shall give for the ransom of his life whatsoever is laid upon him.
31 Whether he have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be done unto him.
32 If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.
(21.32) “If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.” If an ox gores a slave, the owner of the ox must pay the owner of the slave 30 shekels of silver, and “the ox shall be stoned.”
42 Does God approve of slavery?
33 And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein;
34 The owner of the pit shall make it good, and give money unto the owner of them; and the dead beast shall be his.
35 And if one man’s ox hurt another’s, that he die; then they shall sell the live ox, and divide the money of it; and the dead ox also they shall divide.
36 Or if it be known that the ox hath used to push in time past, and his owner hath not kept him in; he shall surely pay ox for ox; and the dead shall be his own.
EXODUS 22
22 If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.
2 If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.
3 If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.
(22.3) “If he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.” If a thief is caught and is too poor to make a complete restitution, then he is to be sold to pay for his theft.