The Skeptics Annotated Bible (224 page)

These killings also contain an important message about Biblical Family Values. In verses 12 and 13, God’s special hero (Caleb) gave his daughter to the man who could kill the most people. Now that’s family values for you!

10 And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron: (now the name of Hebron before was Kirjath-arba:) and they slew Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.

11 And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before was Kirjath-sepher:

12 And
Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjath-sepher
, and taketh it, to him
will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.

13
And Othniel
the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother,
took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.

(1.12-13)
“Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher … will I give Achsah my daughter to wife. And Othniel … took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.”
Caleb offers to give his daughter to whoever conquers the city of Debir. Caleb’s nephew wins the contest and is given his cousin for a prize.

14 And it came to pass, when she came to him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted from off her ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wilt thou?

15 And she said unto him, Give me a blessing: for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the nether springs.

16 And the children of the Kenite, Moses’ father in law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which lieth in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people.

17 And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and
they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it.
And the name of the city was called Hormah.

18 Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof.

19
And the LORD was with Judah
; and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain; but
could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron.

(1.17-19a)
“They slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it … And the Lord was with Judah.”
(You can tell by the number of innocent people he killed.)

(1.19b)
“The Lord … could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron.”
59 Can God do anything?
170 Can God stop iron chariots?

20 And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled thence the three sons of Anak.

(1.21-29)
“The children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem … neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites.”
God promised many times that he would drive out all the inhabitants of the lands they encountered. (Ex 33.2; Dt 7.1, 7.24, 9.4-6, 31.3-7; Jos 1.1-5, 3.10, 17.17-18, 21.43-45) But these verses show that God failed to keep his promise since he was unable to drive out the Canaanites.

21 And
the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem
; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem unto this day.

22 And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Beth-el: and the LORD was with them.

23 And the house of Joseph sent to descry Beth-el. (Now the name of the city before was Luz.)

24 And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said unto him, Shew us, we pray thee, the entrance into the city, and we will shew thee mercy.

25 And
when he shewed them the entrance into the city, they smote the city with the edge of the sword; but they let go the man and all his family.

(1.25)
“When he shewed them the entrance into the city, they smote the city with the edge of the sword; but they let go the man and all his family.”
The Israelite spies killed everyone in Bethel, except for the man (and his family) who showed them how to enter the city.