2 Samuel chapter 24 - Don't mess with God!

by nicolaou 53 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Narkissos

  And again the anger of Jehovah came to be hot against Israel, when one incited David against them, saying: "Go, take a count of Israel and Judah.

  As a side note, this "one" is an utterly dishonest translation, attempting at harmonising 2 Samuel with the later version of 1 Chronicles (where the subject will be "Satan"). In 2 Samuel the third person singular obviously refers to the aforementioned personal subject, Yhwh.

  And it is quite interesting from the original polytheistic background of the story. Yhwh is not yet "God". He is no Almighty. He is only the god of Israel, with limited powers. If he is angry with his people, he cannot just punish it as he wills. He must resort to a trick to bring a superior, semi-automatic "divine wrath" against the people. So his action is to push David to bring a curse on the people (which the census will do).

  Of course in the monotheistic rewriting of Chronicles this makes no sense at all. Therefore the role formerly ascribed to Yhwh slides to Satan, and only then Yhwh = God is angry.
• 

  Raphael

  You've evidently thought some about it, but haven't really veered far from the JW partline, huh

  My insight is from the the Holy Spirit - who guides all true believers who seek truth - and not from the WTBS source of *light" or "insight" ...
• 

  atypical

  Do all those seeking truth arrive at the same conclusions as you, Raphael? That is truly jw style arrogance if I've ever seen it.
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  Raphael

  Follow the path of the unsafe, independent thinker. Expose your ideas to the dangers of controversy. Speak your mind and fear less the label of 'crackpot' than the stigma of conformity. And on issues that seem important to you, stand up and be counted at any cost.

  Thomas J. Watson
• 

  Raphael

  Why are we fighting each other? - I gave may reasoning on the subject - I was respectful of all the other opinions and continue to be.

  I am incensed when some resort to personal attacks in order to defend their position on a topic - just what I assume gives JW's fuel to stoke their opinions about "apostates"...

  Little Toe - I have read a number of your posts - I actually like and respect you - despite the fact I do not share all your views.
• 

  THE SHOOTIST

  R, If I were a mass murderer on trial for my life, I'm sure with your intellect and sense of justice I could get off with a few weeks of community service.
• 

  Raphael

  Shootist --that's an infantile remark - how old are you ?

  I suggest topic closed .....
• 

  LittleToe

  ???

  Who made you a mod? Nic started the topic and, regardless, once you let a word fly, it's loose with a life of it's own...

  Tell me, why do you think God allows two spirit-filled believers to come to different conclusions?

  But for now - nite nite - I'm off to my nest
• 

  RunningMan

  Further to Nark's comment about the use of the word "one". I noticed this in the NWT, but as I was looking through the large extended reference edition (I can't remember the name), there was a footnote on "one". The footnote said "Jehovah". So, it looks to me like the NWT was trying to pull a translational fast one to try and get around the inconsistency in the two accounts and the apparently nasty and childish act of Jehovah. The regular translation just goes with "one" and hopes no one looks any further.
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  skyman

  God needs anger management