The Skeptics Annotated Bible (145 page)

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

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: