The Skeptics Annotated Bible (142 page)

7 And
they spake
unto all the company of the children of Israel,
saying, The land
, which we passed through to search it,
is an exceeding good land.

(14.7)
“They spake … saying, The land … is an exceeding good land.”

8 If
the LORD
delight in us, then he
will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.

(14.8)
“The LORD … will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.”

9 Only
rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.

(14.9)
“Rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.”

10
But all the congregation bade stone them with stones
. And
the glory of the LORD appeared
in the tabernacle of the congregation
before all the children of Israel.

(14.10) But the people weren’t buying it. They’d had enough wandering around in the desert and they sure as hell didn’t want to fight any damned giants (see 13.33), so they decide to stone Joshua and his merry men (with stones). But before they get started with the stoning, God shows up in all his glory.

(14.10a)
“But all the congregation bade stone them with stones.”

(14.10b)
“The glory of the LORD appeared … before all the children of Israel.”

(14.11-12) God tells Moses that he is going to kill all of the Israelites—every last whining one of the them, and then make a whole bunch of brand new Israelites.

11 And
the LORD said unto Moses,
How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?

(14.11)
“The LORD said unto Moses,”

12
I will smite them with the pestilence
, and disinherit them,
and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.

(14.12)
“I will smite them with the pestilence … and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.”

(14.13-16) But Moses talks him out of of it (like he did in Exodus 32.11-12), saying that the Egyptians will hear about it and will say that he wasn’t able to lead the Israelites to Israel, so he killed them all instead. How would that look to the neighbors?

13 And
Moses said unto the LORD, Then the Egyptians shall hear it
, (for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;)

(14.13)
“Moses said unto the LORD, Then the Egyptians shall hear it,”

14 And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou LORD art among this people, that
thou LORD art seen face to face
, and that
thy cloud standeth over them
, and that thou goest before them,
by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.

(14.14)
“Thou LORD art seen face to face … thy cloud standeth over them … by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.”
49 Can God be seen?

15 Now
if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying,

(14.15)
“If thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying,”

16
Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness.

(14.16)
“Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness.”

17 And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying,

18
The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy
, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty,
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.

(14.18)
“The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy … visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.”
How is punishing children for the sins of their great-great grandfathers merciful?
41 Are we punished for the sins of others?