The Skeptics Annotated Bible
Page 48
30 But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
31 Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.
(15.32-36) The Israelites find a man picking up sticks on the sabbath. God commands them to stone him to death, which they do.
God’s 19th Killing
101 Is it necessary to keep the Sabbath?
115 How should Sabbath-breakers be punished?
109 To kill or not to kill.
32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.
(15.32) “They found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.”
33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation.
34 And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.
35 And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.
(15.35) “And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones.”
36 And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.
(15.36) “And all the congregation … stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.”
(15.37-39a) God’s instructions for making fringes on garments
Immediately after ordering the execution of the sabbath breaker, God gets down to some more important business—like instructing the people on how to make fringes on their garments.
37 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
(15.37) “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,”
38 Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue:
(15.38) “Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations.”
39 And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:
(15.39a) “It shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it.”
(15.39b) “Seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring.”
136 Should we follow our own hearts?
40 That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.
41 I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God.
(16.1-33) Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, the first freethought martyrs, refused to follow Moses blindly, saying that everyone is holy and should be free to think for him or herself. God killed them and their families for daring to challenge Moses. God’s 20th killing
NUMBERS 16
16 Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:
(16.1) “Korah … and Dathan and Abiram”
2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:
(16.2) “Rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown”
3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?
(16.3) “And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them … wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?”
4 And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:
(16.4) “When Moses heard it, he fell upon his face.”
5 And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the LORD will shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him.
(16.5) “And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying,”
6 This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company;
(16.6) “This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company.”
7 And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the LORD to morrow: and it shall be that the man whom the LORD doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.
(16.7) “And put fire … and … incense in them … and … the man whom the LORD doth choose, he shall be holy.”
8 And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi:
9 Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them?
10 And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also?
11 For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?
12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up:
13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?
14 Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.
15 And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the LORD, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.
16 And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the LORD, thou, and they, and Aaron, to morrow:
17 And take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring ye before the LORD every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also, and Aaron, each of you his censer.
18 And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron.
(16.18) “They took every man his censer, and put fire … and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron.”
19 And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation.
(16.19) “And Korah gathered all the congregation against them … and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation.”
20 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
21 Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.
(16.20-21) “And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” God warns everyone to get away; he’s going to kill some more people.
22 And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?
(16.22) “And they fell upon their faces, and said … shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the co
ngregation?”
23 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
24 Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.
(16.23-24) “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying … Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.”
25 And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him.
26 And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of their’s, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.
27 So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children.
(16.27) “So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram … and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children.”
28 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.
(16.28) “Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me.”
29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me.
30 But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.
(16.30) “If the LORD make … the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit.” Moses tells the people that if the ground opens up and swallows the rebels and their families, then you’ll know that God’s on his side.
31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:
32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
(16.32) “The earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah.”
33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.
(16:33) “They … went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them.”
137 Did God burn all of Korah’s children to death?
34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.
35 And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.
(16.35) “There came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.”
God’s 21st Killing
(16.36-37) After burning the 250 guys that offered incense, God tells Moses to keep their censers (because they are holy) to remind everyone not to offer incense without a license.
36 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
(16.36) “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,”
37 Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are hallowed.
(16.37) “Take up the censers out of the burning … for they are hallowed.”
38 The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the LORD, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.
39 And Eleazar the priest took the brasen censers, wherewith they that were burnt had offered; and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar:
40 To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the LORD; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the LORD said to him by the hand of Moses.
(16.41-49) After God killed Korah, his companions, their families, and 250 incense burners, the people complained saying, “ye have killed the people of the Lord.” So God, who doesn’t take kindly to criticism, sends a plague on the people. And “they that died in the plague were 14,700.”
God’s 22nd Killing
41 But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the LORD.
(16.41) “But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the LORD.”
42 And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared.
(16.42) “Behold … the glory of the Lord appeared.”
43 And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation.
44 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
(16.44) “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,”
45 Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.
(16.45a) “Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment.” God threatens (again) to kill everyone (but his special friends, Moses and Aaron).
(16.45b) “And they fell upon their faces.”
46 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun.
(16.46) “Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer … and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them.” Moses tells Aaron to burn some incense to make God quit killing people. (He just killed 250 for burning incense.)
47 And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people.
(16.47) “The plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people.”
48 And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.
(16.48) “And the plague was stayed.”
49 Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.
(16.49) “They that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.”
50 And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed.
NUMBERS 17
17 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man’s name upon his rod.
3 And thou shalt write Aaron’s name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers.
4 And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you.
5 And it shall come to pass, that the man’s rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you.
6 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.
7 And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness.
8 And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the r
od of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.
(17.8) “Behold, the rod of Aaron … budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.” Aaron’s rod buds, blooms, and yield almonds. (He’s getting better at his magic tricks.)
9 And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.
10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron’s rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.
(17.10) “The LORD said unto Moses … Thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.” God, who just finished killing thousands for murmuring, threatens to kill anyone else that murmurs.
11 And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.
12 And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish.
13 Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?
(17.12-13) “The children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish …. Shall we be consumed with dying?”
NUMBERS 18
18 And the LORD said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy father’s house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood.
2 And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee shall minister before the tabernacle of witness.
3 And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die.
(18.3) “They shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die.” Stay away from holy things and places—like churches. God will kill you if you get too close.