Numbers 31:17 and 18

by schnell 11 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  schnell

  Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. But all the women children that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.

  *sigh*

  It's not that I haven't seen this passage before. Of course not. It's not that I didn't know how terrible and regrettable it is. I did.

  I just happened to look it up on WOL and see what Insight on the Scriptures says on the subject.

  In the battle with Midian, the Israelites preserved alive only virgins from among the women and girls. (Nu 31:3, 18, 35) The Law allowed for the taking of a wife from among such parentless female war captives. (De 21:10-14)
  

  The law allowed for the taking of a wife from parentless female war captives... After killing their families? The girl's mother, father, brother... All dead. How old is the girl? She could be a preteen. Maybe younger. She might even get killed if they thought she wasn't a virgin. (And how would they know?)

  I am sorry, how is this a perfect law again? And how does Insight on the Scriptures so tersely and heartlessly breeze right over this? How do you write that and not immediately know it's wrong?
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  prologos

  inspired , the holy word of god.
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  FatFreek 2005

  Lots of things improved from those Hebrew scripture writings, permitted slavery, multiple wives, etc.

  Do you suppose Jehovah has gone through a learning curve?
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  smiddy

  The scriptures were obviously inspired by a man , a horny man at that with no morals or ethics.
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  stuckinarut2

  Yes!

  When we start seeing these accounts as they truly are: Disturbing and Disgusting, there is simply no excusing it!

  If someone acted like that today, witnesses would rightly condemn him...so why not then?

  After all, isn't there a scripture that says "Jehovah is the same always. He never changes"?

  Hmmm....
  
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  stuckinarut2

  Hey Schnell, you need to go to youtube and watch "messed up bible stories"

  Enjoy their great take on all these sorts of accounts!
  
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  ttdtt

  Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. But all the women children that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.

  In the battle with Midian, the Israelites preserved alive only virgins from among the women and girls.

  I wonder, how did they know what women had sex?
  Since they did not have the Jewish Dog anti-sex laws, did they check their Snap-Chat first to look for sex pics?
  Did the army interview the women to and their neighbors to find out?
  Did they check for a broken Hymen (which indicates NOTHING) to see?
  
  How could a loving Dog give that kind of command in the first place, and how could he give a command where there would be NO certainty as to the outcome?

  RUBBISH!
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  Joe Grundy

  There was a very interesting BBC R4 documentary yesterday evening about women who left a 'closed' orthodox Jewish community in the UK. This community may actually end up being the largest Jewish community because of their strict rules, it seems.

  It included arranged marriage, women losing their children if they leave the community and day-to-day stuff. For example, covering their hair (no, that didn't start with Muslims). Ordinarily, the women wear wigs. The most observant wear wigs AND hats.

  You may recall bits in the OT about menstruating women being 'unclean'. In this community they have ritual bath-houses where women must attend to ritually bathe after their period - after they have used white cloths inserted vaginally to confirm the end of the flow. In any case of doubt the Rabbi is called in.

  This community regard themselves as the 'true' Jews who are following their laws. Listening to this was an eye-opener for me.
  
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  Joe Grundy

  This the link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b084bmgs

  It made me think, to be honest. When I was brought up, OT characters were portrayed in fluffy striped blanket robes, wandering around with their sheep and goats doing yhwh stuff.

  Now picture them in ISIS type gear, moving in to towns and villages, seeking out those who believed different to them, worshiping different gods and so on. Seizing and carrying off young girls/women as prizes of war. Beheading their enemy, burning their settlements, enslaving those they didn't kill.

  But they were guided and commanded by their god, yhwh, and today they are celebrated and remembered.

  Something to think about as we approach xmas and the old OT bits are read out.
  
  
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  sir82

  JWs are encouraged to "meditate on the scriptures".

  Not just "some" of the scriptures, not just the fluffy bunny and rainbow ones, but "all" of the scriptures.

  So, lurkers, meditate on this scripture.

  Imagine Israelite warriors, armed with bronze swords, entering a Midianite home.

  Do you know how long it takes to kill someone with a sword? Do you know how hard it is pull out a sword after you've stabbed someone with it? Do you know what 5 or 6 liters of blood looks like as it splashes out onto the ground?

  Can you hear the 5 year old, 6 year old, 7 year old girls wailing as their parents scream in agony as their blood pools around them?

  Meditate on THAT.