The Bible: what it is Part 10

'The reason why G.o.d commanded Moses to adopt this course has not been recorded; but the fact would probably be susceptible of a satisfactory explanation, if we were acquainted more fully with the serpent-worship which existed among the ancient people of Egypt. In the absence of certain information, it may be supposed that the Israelites had been taught to hold serpents in great respect whilst they were in Egypt, and that Moses availed himself of their superst.i.tion to bend them the better to his will.'

In our version, verse 8, Moses is told to make a 'fiery serpent:' in the Douay, he is told to make a 'brazen serpent'--fiery serpents are very rare animals.

Verse 14. 'The Book of the wars of the Lord.' What book is this? Who was the author of it? What has become of it? Was it inspired? Was it more ancient than the Pentateuch? In answer to all these questions, we can say but little, except this, that the book referred to is one of several books quoted from in our Bible, and now lost; the authorship is unknown; it must have been a well-known book at the time Numbers was written, and, consequently, more ancient than Numbers. There are many other books quoted from, which are also lost.

The following is from the 'Hebrew Records,' in reference to this subject:--

'In St. Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews, ix., 19, we read thus:--

'"For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people, according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and all the people."

'The writer of this epistle must also have had more sources of information than we now possess; for the account which he gives in the verse before us does not exactly tally with any of the various verses in the Levitical Law, where the subject is related. Nothing is said of the "book" being sprinkled with the blood, even if the other parts of the description are allowed to bear a sufficient resemblance.

'Another remarkable instance bearing upon my present argument, is the account which St. Jude gives of a contest between Michael and the Devil:--

'"Yet Michael, the archangel, when contending with the Devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, 'Lord rebuke thee!'"

'It is not known to what St. Jude alludes in this verse; nothing is said in the Old Testament of any contest between the Devil and the archangel Michael.

'In St. Paul's Second Epistle to Timothy, chap, iii., v. 8, are found {77} the names of two of the magicians who competed with Moses in magical arts in the presence of Pharaoh, King of Egypt.

'"Now, as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth; men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith."

'It is presumed that the names, "Jannes" and "Jambres," not found in the Books of Moses, became known to St. Paul through the medium of other writings, in which many particulars of Jewish history were recorded, but now no longer in existence.

Several circ.u.mstances of the life and acts of Moses are known to us, only because they are noticed in the New Testament, no mention being made of them in the old Jewish Scriptures. For instance, in Acts vii., v. 22, etc., we are told that--

'"Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds. And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren of Israel, etc."

'But in the Book of Exodus the account of these things is much shorter, and nothing is said of the age of Moses at the time referred to.

'Neither is there any authority in the Pentateuch for the remark which occurs in Hebrews xi., 24:--

'"By faith Moses, when he came to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter."

'These circ.u.mstances make it probable that there were other original records in the time of St. Paul, which have since perished.

'This conclusion is supported by the admitted fact that many books which have perished are quoted in the Old Testament itself. Such are the books of Jasher, Enoch, the Wars of the Lord, and many others.

A perplexing train of argument opens to us from a consideration of these facts. If the books which have perished were of value, why have they perished? If they were of no value, why have valuable writers, like St.

Paul, quoted them? It is supposed that they were of inferior authority, but this point has not been proved. If the existing books are genuine relics of a high antiquity, yet some of the lost books were more ancient still. The same Providence which has preserved the one has suffered the others to sink, even though those which have floated down the stream of time are imperfect on many points, which the others would have supplied.

*Chapter xxii., v. 1. 'On this side Jordan:' the Douay has it 'beyond the Jordan:' the Hebrew is [------] (beyond, across, over, or on the other side), see also page 6. It is evident in this case either that the translators must have falsified the text to support their theory that Moses was the writer of the book, or that there is a very extraordinary coincidence of error. The whole of this subject has been carefully examined in Dr. Giles's 'Hebrew Records,' pp. 284 to 289.

*Chapters xxii., xxiii., and xxiv. It is not at all wonderful that the barbarous Midianites and Moabites should have looked upon Balaam as a prophet, whose curse or blessing would affect the success of the {78} Jews. In the dark ages we have many instances of persons revered by the people of their countries, because they were believed to possess supernatural powers; but is an inexplicable matter when we find the superst.i.tions of the ignorant people shared by G.o.d himself. G.o.d communicated with Balaam. G.o.d said, 'Thou shalt not curse this people.'

G.o.d came to Balaam repeatedly; at first he forbade him to go to Balak, and afterwards gave him permission; and then G.o.d's anger is kindled because Balaam, in consequence of such permission, went with Balak's messengers, and the angel of the Lord is sent to stand in Balaam's way.

I have remarked upon angels in pages 33 and 34; those who wish to read more orthodox comments are referred to Dr. Pye Smith's 'Christian Theology,' p. 327. This angel is invisible to the wise man, Balaam, but is at once perceived by his a.s.s. Is this intended as a covert sneer? Did the writer mean that a.s.ses are always the first to perceive invisible angels? The angel has 'his sword drawn in his hand'--this sword (being also only visible to the a.s.s), must have been (like Macbeth's dagger) manufactured from different material from the swords commonly in use.

The a.s.s obstinately refusing to go forward (and a.s.ses very often do refuse to go forward, rather staying because a church, an angel, or a Bible stops the way, than progressing with Freethinking searchers toward the truth), is beaten by Balaam. The a.s.s indignantly remonstrates, inquiring why he is beaten; and as Balaam manifested no surprise whatever when his a.s.s spoke, we must conclude that the phenomenon was not entirely new to him. The fable concludes by relating that Balaam blessed the Jews, instead of cursing them.

*Chapter xxiii., v. 19. According to the Bible account, G.o.d has repented several times (Genesis, chap, vi., vv. 6 and 7; Exodus, chap. x.x.xii., v.

14; 1 Samuel, chap, xv., v. xi.; 2 Samuel, chap. xxiv.,v. 16).

In chap, xxiv., v. 15, our version reads, 'The man whose eyes are open hath said: 'the Douay has it,' The man whose eye is stopped up hath said: 'the Breeches Bible renders it, 'The man whose eyes were shut up hath said.'

*Chapter xxv., v. 4. See Deuteronomy, chap, iv., v. 31, 'The Lord thy G.o.d is a merciful G.o.d.'

Verse 9. '24,000.' In 1 Corinthians, chap, x., v. 8, the number is given as '23,000.'

*Chapter xxvi., vv. 10 and 11. The Douay says, 'And there was a great miracle wrought; that when Core (Korah) perished, his sons did not perish.' Our version omits the miracle, out says, that 'the children of Korah died not:' yet in chap, xvi., vv. 32 and 33, we are told that 'the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods, they and all that appertained unto them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them, and they perished from among the congregation.'

Verse 12. 'Nemuel' is called 'Jemuel' in Genesis, chap, xlvi, v. 10.

Verse 13. 'Zerah' is called 'Zohar' in Genesis, chap, xlvi., v. 10.

Verse 16. 'Ozni' is called 'Ezbon' in Genesis, chap, xliv., v. 16. {79} Verse 23. 'Pua' is called 'Phuvah' in Genesis, chap, xlvi., v. 13.

Verse 24. 'Jashub' is called 'Job 'in Genesis, chap, xlvi., v. 13.

Verses 64 and 65. Phinehas and Eleazar at least were left, if no more than they entered the promised land (_vide_ Joshua, chap, xiv., v. 1, and chap, xxii., v. 13).

*Chapter xxvii., v. 14. We have no account whatever of any rebellion by Moses. In Exodus, chap, xvii., it is the people who rebel against Moses.

*Chapter x.x.xi. gives an account of the slaughter of the Midianites, and the destruction of their 'cities' and 'goodly castles' by 12,000 Jews, and the capture of 32,000 virgins, 675,000 sheep, 72,000 oxen, and 61,000 a.s.ses. The number or slain is not given; but it is easy to ascertain a minimum, if we reckon to each virgin for father, mother, brother, married sisters and their husbands, and other married females and their husbands, an average of four persons--which I conceive will be an estimate much under the true amount--we shall find 128,000 to have been slaughtered by 12,000 Jews, which is a statement rather difficult to believe. This difficulty is increased when we remember that the Midianites dwelt in 'cities' and 'goodly castles,' under shelter of which they could have contended against the attacks of the Jews. After all this fighting, the tired warriors must have had considerable trouble (especially if the captives resisted) in bringing back the spoil, which averaged to each man (supposing that all the Jewish soldiers had escaped unhurt) three virgins, fifty-six sheep, six oxen, and five a.s.ses, besides gold, silver, lead, iron, tin, bra.s.s, jewels, and other spoil.

The Jews, however, were mighty warriors; and it has been previously noticed how two men slaughtered the whole of the inhabitants of a city,(see page 41). I am compelled to add, that verse 7, which says that the Jews slew 'all the males,' must be positively untrue, because if all were killed except the 32,000 virgins taken captive, there would be an end to the Midianitish nation; while in Judges, chap, vi., we actually find the Midianites more powerful than the Israelites.

Verse 16. This 'counsel of Balaam' is never mentioned before.

Verse 18. Is not this command likely to produce a repet.i.tion of the offence mentioned in chap, xxv., and for which the Israelites were so heavily punished?

*Chapter x.x.xii., v. 40. 'Machir' must be a mistake, as he must have been dead long since (_vide_ Genesis, chap. 1., v. 23); he could hardly have lived long enough to see his own progeny number 52,700 (_vide_ chap, xxvi., v. 34).

*Chapter x.x.xiii., v. 4. 'Upon their G.o.ds also the Lord executed judgments.'. What judgments were these? and, if there is only one true G.o.d, were these judgments executed upon the mock G.o.ds of the Egyptians?

If this be so, the whole is a farce upon the face of it, without deeper investigation.

*Chapter x.x.xv., v. 14. 'On this side Jordan:' the Douay reads, 'beyond the Jordan:' the remarks on page 77 apply equally to this text.

Numbers is presented to us as a history of the wanderings of the {80} Israelites during nearly forty years, with an account of some of the wars in which they were engaged. It professes to be the work of the same writer as the Book of Genesis; and in this respect its pretensions at once fail, for it is not at all probable that one man would make such strange variations in writing the names of the persons referred to on page 78. It cannot be revelation from G.o.d--1st. Because it contains a variety of errors, as in the names just alluded to, or in the times of service of the Levites; or in the destruction of the children of Korah, etc., etc. 2nd. Because it pictures a G.o.d of great mercy and long suffering, ordering an indiscriminate and merciless slaughter, as in the case of the Midianites. 3rd. Because it a.s.sumes that the curse or blessing of Balaam would affect the welfare of the Israelites, and represents an omniscient and immutable Deity as forgiving or punishing sinners according as they sprinkled, or neglected to sprinkle, themselves with water, in which had been mixed the ashes of a burnt red cow. 4th. Because it is wholly, or in some part, compiled from other and earlier writings, and, therefore, was not an original. As a narration of events, it must be regarded with extreme suspicion. The numberings of the Jews in chapter i., I cannot help considering as suppositious; and the account of the wholesale slaughter of the Midianites is evidently untrue. As an educational book, it is entirely without merit, and affords neither instruction nor amus.e.m.e.nt to its reader, unless, indeed, he be of a sufficiently depraved character to enable him to find amus.e.m.e.nt in adding together the thousands of Israelites slaughtered by G.o.d, or in calculating the probable number of the Midianites slain by the children of Israel.

BOOK V. DEUTERONOMY

*Chapter i., vv. 1 and 5 (see page 6), 'On this side Jordan:' the Douay has i beyond the Jordan' in each instance.

Verse 10. 'Ye are this day as the stars of heaven for mult.i.tude.' Yet we are told in chap, vii., v. 7, that G.o.d chose the Jews because they were the' fewest of all people.'

*Chapter ii., v. 30. 'The Lord thy G.o.d hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate.' The 'hardening of heart' has been remarked upon in pages 50 and 52, in the case of Pharaoh. It is useless to fill the work with mere repet.i.tions; but I feel bound to draw attention again to such texts as this, which clearly demonstrate, to even the most obtuse mind, that the Book cannot be a revelation from an immutable Deity. That a merciful and loving G.o.d should harden any man's heart is unreasonable in the extreme; and that he should do it for the purpose of affording an excuse for slaughter, is a blasphemous proposition, which every Theist ought to deny. Can men wonder that Atheists grow in number, when the character of the Deity is delineated in such a contradictory and absurd manner? A just G.o.d grossly unjust, a merciful G.o.d cruel in the extreme, an immutable G.o.d constantly changing; in fact, a G.o.d consistent only in the attribute of incomprehensibility! {81} *Chapter iii., v. 11. '"For only Og, King of Bashan, remained of the remnant of giants; behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron: is it not in Rabbath of the children of Ammon? nine cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth of it, after the cubit of a man."