The Skeptics Annotated Bible (160 page)

39 These things ye shall do unto the LORD in your set feasts, beside your vows, and
your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your meat offerings
, and for your drink offerings,
and for your peace offerings.

(29.39)
“Your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your meat offerings … and for your peace offerings”

40 And Moses told the children of Israel according to all that the LORD commanded Moses.

30
And Moses spake unto the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded.

2
If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.

(30.2)
“If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth”
63 Is it okay to take oaths?

(30.3-16)
Women are not legally responsible for anything
If a man makes a vow, then God expects him to keep it. But a woman cannot make a vow, unless it is “allowed” by her husband or father. If it is “allowed,” then she must keep it—but even so, she is not responsible (her husband or father is).

3
If a woman also vow a vow unto the LORD, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father’s house in her youth;

(30.3)
“If a woman also vow a vow unto the LORD, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father’s house in her youth.”

4
And her father hear her vow
, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul,
and her father shall hold his peace at her: then all her vows shall stand
, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand.

(30.4)
“And her father hear her vow … and her father shall hold his peace at her; then all her vows shall stand.”

5
But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand:
and the LORD shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her.

(30.5)
“But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand.”

6 And
if she had at all an husband, when she vowed
, or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul;

(30.6)
“If she had at all an husband, when she vowed”

7
And her husband heard it, and held his peace
at her in the day that he heard it:
then her vows shall stand
, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.

(30.7)
“And her husband heard it, and held his peace … then her vows shall stand.”

8
But if her husband disallowed her on the day that he heard it; then he shall make her vow
which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her soul,
of none effect
: and the LORD shall forgive her.

(30.8)
“But if her husband disallowed her on the day that he heard it; then he shall make her vow … of none effect.”

9 But every vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced, wherewith they have bound their souls, shall stand against her.

10 And
if she vowed in her husband’s house
, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath;

(30.10)
“If she vowed in her husband’s house,”

11
And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her
, and disallowed her not:
then all her vows shall stand
, and every bond wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.

(30.11)
“And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her … then all her vows shall stand.”

12
But if her husband hath utterly made them void on the day he heard them; then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows
, or concerning the bond of her soul,
shall not stand: her husband hath made them void
; and the LORD shall forgive her.

(30.12)
“But if her husband hath utterly made them void on the day he heard them; then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows… shall not stand: her husband hath made them void.”

13
Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void
.

(30.13)
“Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void.”

14 But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day; then he establisheth all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her: he confirmeth them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them.

15 But if he shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard them; then he shall bear her iniquity.

16
These are the statutes, which the LORD commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between the father and his daughter
, being yet in her youth in her father’s house.

(30.16)
“These are the statutes, which the LORD commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between the father and his daughter.”

(31.1-40)
The Midianite Massacre
Under God’s direction, Moses’ army defeated the Midianites. They killed all the adult males, but took the women and children captive. When Moses learned that they let some live, he angrily said: “Have you saved all the women alive? 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.” So they went back and did as Moses (and presumably God) instructed, killing everyone except for the virgins. In this way they got 32,000 virgins. (Even God got some of the booty—including the virgins.)
God’s 26th Killing

31
And
the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

(31.1)
“The LORD spake unto Moses, saying,”

2
Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites
: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.

(31.2)
“Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites.”

3 And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the LORD of Midian.

4 Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war.

5 So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.

6 And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand.

7 And they warred against the Midianites,
as the LORD commanded Moses
; and
they slew all the males.

(31.7)
“As the Lord commanded Moses … they slew all the males.”
143 Did the Israelites kill every male in Midian?