The Skeptics Annotated Bible (616 page)

20
Behold, O LORD, and consider to whom thou hast done this. Shall the women eat their fruit, and children of a span long? shall the priest and the prophet be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord?

(2.20)
Behold, O LORD, and consider to whom thou hast done this. Shall the women eat their fruit, and children of a span long? shall the priest and the prophet be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord?

21
The young and the old lie on the ground in the streets: my virgins and my young men are fallen by the sword; thou hast slain them in the day of thine anger; thou hast killed, and not pitied
.

(2.21)
“The young and the old lie on the ground in the streets: my virgins and my young men are fallen by the sword; thou hast slain them in the day of thine anger; thou hast killed, and not pitied.”
120 Is God merciful?

22 Thou hast called as in a solemn day my terrors round about, so that
in the day of the LORD’S anger none escaped nor remained
: those that I have swaddled and brought up hath mine enemy consumed.

(2.22)
“In the day of the LORD’s anger none escaped nor remained.”

3
I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.

2 He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.

3 Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.

4 My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.

5 He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.

6 He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.

7 He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.

8 Also
when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer
.

(3.8)
“When I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.”
300 Does God listen to and answer prayers?

9 He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.

(3.10-11) God is like a bear or a lion who secretly pursues you and then tears you apart.

10
He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.

(3.10)
“He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.”

11
He hath
turned aside my ways, and
pulled me in pieces
: he hath made me desolate.

(3.11)
“He hath … pulled me in pieces”

12 He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.

(3.13-16) God shoots people with his bow, his arrows pierce their kidneys (“reins”), and breaks their teeth with stones.

13
He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins
.

(3.13)
“He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.”

14 I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.

15 He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.

16
He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones
, he hath covered me with ashes.

(3.16) “He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones.”

17 And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.

18 And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD:

19 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.

20 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.

21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.

22 It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.

27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.

28 He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.

29 He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.

30 He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.

31 For the Lord will not cast off for ever:

32 But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.

33 For
he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.

(3.33) “He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.”
120 Is God merciful?

34 To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,

35 To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,

36 To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.

37 Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?

38
Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?

(3.38)
“Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?”
(Mostly evil, I’d say—at least if you believe the Bible.)
294 Did God create evil?