All Questions
4
votes
0answers
46 views
Just how overpriced was Efron's burial cave anyway?
In Genesis 23 Avraham pays 400 shekels to Efron for a burial cave for Sarah (and, later, other family members). This seems to be an enormous amount of money and Rashi suggests it's even worse than it ...
4
votes
1answer
37 views
Why does John interweave the stories of Jesus' questioning and Peter's denial?
In John 18, the author weaves together an account of Peter's denial and a questioning of Jesus before Annas. It's very well done and seems rather more complex from a literary standpoint. But what does ...
4
votes
0answers
46 views
Meaning of N .. N+1 pattern in Amos, Proverbs, Job and Psalms [duplicate]
In the first couple of chapters of Amos, we see a number of proclamations from God that all begin with (all ESV)
"For three transgressions of [region/group], and for four, I will not revoke the ...
4
votes
0answers
78 views
Were there 600,000 Israelites, or 600 “soldiers”? [duplicate]
This question is a follow-up from this answer where a user on Christianity.SE claimed that the Hebrew words for "thousand" and "soldier" were mixed up in the transcription and translation of the ...
4
votes
2answers
59 views
In John 14:2, what is Jesus' Father's house?
In John 14:2, Jesus tells his disciples:
In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. (NIV)
What is Jesus referring ...
3
votes
2answers
650 views
Does Exodus 22:28 call for child sacrifice?
In Genesis, we see a motif of first-born sons being overly aggressive and ambitious. Kain slays Abel out of a jealous wrath. Firstborn Esau and Jacob have a long-running rivalry that ends with Jacob ...
3
votes
2answers
949 views
What is the 'cock's crow'?
Another question of semantics - was the cock's crow which Jesus prophesied Peter would hear before he betrayed Him thrice, the crow of a rooster or a trumpet blast which happened every 3 hours, or so.
...
3
votes
5answers
599 views
Why did the Law of Moses tolerate polygyny (polygamy) but not polyandry? [closed]
Why did the Laws of Moses tolerate men having multiple wives, but did not grant the same type of toleration to women? I am not asking why God tolerated polygyny, although that may be included in the ...
3
votes
2answers
206 views
Is “wept on his neck” a Hebrew idiom?
In a number of places, the English Standard Version uses a phrase like "wept on his neck," e.g.
Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept upon his neck. —Genesis ...
3
votes
3answers
729 views
What Scriptures is Paul referring to in 1 Cor 15:4
In 1 Cor, when Paul is laying out the the tradition of the resurrection to his readers, he lays out a tradition with his own testimony at the end.
1Cr 15:3-8 For I delivered to you as of first ...
3
votes
3answers
154 views
Does sensus plenior exist in the New Testament?
The conversations surrounding sensus plenior center on the New Testament authors' 'odd usage' of the Old Testament scriptures. But the underlying principle is that there is a secondary meaning which ...
3
votes
3answers
211 views
Is there a scriptural warrant for the literal-historical approach?
Jesus appears to establish the Christological approach used by the apostles:
Joh 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal
life: and they are they which testify of me.
...
3
votes
2answers
87 views
the word for “seven” compared with the word for “Sabbath” in Scripture
Is there a connection linguistically between the word for "Seven" and for "Sabbath" in the Biblical languages, Hebrew/Aramaic/Greek? If so, could someone explain it to me.
This is related to the ...
3
votes
2answers
192 views
Why does Jehoash cry “The chariots and horsemen of Israel”?
When Elisha is about to die, Jehoash the king goes to visit Elisha and cries before him:
Now Elisha was suffering from the illness from which he died. Jehoash king of Israel went down to see him ...
3
votes
2answers
93 views
Why is Rahab and not the spies included in the “Hall of Faith”?
Hebrews 11 list a number of people that Hebrews 12:1 calls a "great a cloud of witnesses". Among them are the usual suspects: Noah, Abraham, Issac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. But there are also some ...
3
votes
1answer
151 views
Can Ezekiel 1 be interpreted as describing a robot?
In my readings of Ezekiel chapter 1, Ezekiel comes into contact with what in our time could only be interpreted as a robot. For instance, it had wheels, four faces, was metallic, and was able to fly; ...
3
votes
2answers
215 views
How are verses indicating that God is a God of war, and others indicating that he is a God of peace reconciled to not be contradictory? [closed]
Sometimes, skeptics note that the Bible makes contradictory statements about God. For instance, is God warlike:
Exodus 15:3—The Lord is a man of war.
Psalm 18:34—He teacheth my ...
3
votes
3answers
413 views
What is Micah 5:5-6 talking about?
Matthew 2:6 quotes Micah 2:2 as a prophesy concerning Jesus:
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ...
3
votes
4answers
134 views
Should The Creation Story in Genesis Be Understood as Metaphorical?
I have been lead to understand that the creation story of Genesis should be read as metaphorical and not literal. However, there seems to be abundant evidence that the ancients understood the story ...
3
votes
2answers
417 views
What is “the hermeneutical circle”?
This question mentions "the hermeneutical circle":
I sometimes hear ... of hermeneutical "methods", such as the grammatico-historal approach, or literal-historical approach, or sensus plenior. ... ...
3
votes
2answers
94 views
Does reaping in Galatians 6:9 refer to salvation?
Related to: Does Galatians 6:9 contain a causality that could imply works salvation?
In the immediate context (based on verse 8), reaping in Galatians 6:9 appears to refer to salvation.
Galatians ...
3
votes
2answers
54 views
Could the usage of the word “fish” be considered evidence for a later and more figurative writing of the gospels?
Per certain church teachings, the early church used the Icthus symbol as a recognization tool for other believers. The gospels as written also feature a large amount of fish imagery.
Does this ...
3
votes
1answer
445 views
How do the books in the Bible get their names?
It seems like the first few chapters are named after the people who wrote them, but I was wondering how the other titles were decided upon.
3
votes
1answer
48 views
Whose idea was it to send the spies to scout the land of Israel?
In Numbers 13 we are told that God commanded Moshe to sends the twelve spies to scout out the land:
1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying:
2 'Send thou men, that they may spy out the land of ...
3
votes
2answers
71 views
Genesis 23 — Why does the Bible change the spelling of Ephron's name?
In Genesis 23, we learn that Sarah has died and Abraham is looking to acquire a grave for her. He approaches the children of Heth and meets Ephron the Hittite who, initially, offers his land (which ...
3
votes
2answers
72 views
God's speech in Job 38-42
For me the Book of Job is one of the most contraversial books in the Bible yet. In chapters 38-41 we see the Lord's unnecessary boasting in front of his slave. Job 41:5 is an example of a cynism:
...
3
votes
1answer
98 views
“Day of the Lord” or “Sunday” in Revelation 1:10
I have a translation of the New Testament in my hands, in which Revelation 1:10 is rendered as "I was in the Spirit on Sunday". When I looked up the same verse in some other translations, I saw "I was ...
3
votes
2answers
280 views
Why was the priestly exam of a woman suspected of adultery not applied to men (Numbers 5:11-31)?
In the book of Numbers, there is a very interesting test for a woman suspected of committing adultery. After some initial discussion, if the woman refuses to admit her sin, or is innocent, the priest ...
3
votes
4answers
198 views
Was the angel of the Lord the pre-human appearance of Messiah? [closed]
I have noticed some commentators interpret the phrase "Angel of the Lord" ("מַלְאָךְ יהוה" mal'ak YHWH) in the Hebrew Scriptures to refer to a pre-human appearance of Messiah?
I am considering to ...
3
votes
2answers
220 views
Is Psalm 119 an ode to just the Torah or to something more?
Virtually every line in Psalm 119 praises some aspect of God's law. In the past, I assumed it was an ode to the Torah. But lately, I've been wondering if were in praise of something outside of the ...
3
votes
2answers
507 views
What are the possible interpretations of 1 John 2:19?
What are the possible interpretations and implications of 1 John 2:19, specifically as it relates to the doctrine of eternal security?
1 John 2:19 (NASB)
19 They went out from us, but they ...
3
votes
1answer
141 views
How Do We Know Paul's Opponents in Galatians Profess to be Followers of Jesus?
I have a question about the nature of the professed faith of Paul's opponents, which is difficult to answer because we are just seeing one side of this debate. So Paul's opponents are trying to get ...
3
votes
1answer
136 views
Is tola'at sheni a knit?
The Hebrew phrase
תוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי
appears throughout Exodus, and it usually occurs paired with "Shesh Mashzar", but I suppose someone can know the answer to one question without knowing the answer ...
3
votes
3answers
273 views
Does Paul reject the idea of celebrating holidays in Galatians?
Paul has some very strong words against the Galatians implying that they are returning to their former state:
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not ...
3
votes
1answer
208 views
Where did Samuel come from when he was summoned by the Medium of En-dor?
Appropriate to today, I was thinking about the time when Saul visited the Medium of En-dor in 1 Samuel 28:8-14 (ESV):
So Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men ...
3
votes
1answer
193 views
Translation of κοπιῶντες in Matthew 11:28
The word κοπιῶντες in Matt. 11:28 is translated differently in the NASB and the ESV:
NASB:
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
ESV:
Come to me, all who ...
3
votes
1answer
74 views
Have the “many” in Psalm 4 received blessings or were they already blessed?
Psalm 4 is a David psalm about prayer. It includes this stanza that seems to contrast the psalmist with other people:
There are many who say, “Who will show us some good?
Lift up the light of ...
3
votes
4answers
1k views
What are the “stones of fire” in Ezekiel 28?
An interesting phrase occurs in Ezekiel 28:14:
You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked.
and again ...
3
votes
2answers
92 views
Is “Children of Israel” the only way to read Deuteronomy 32:8?
I asked a Jew and this is what she said:
As for Deut 32:8, there is not a single Hebrew text that does not say
'bnei Yisrael'. Every Jewish translation of this verse says children
[or sons] ...
3
votes
1answer
43 views
What exactly does מִכְנָס (miknac) mean?
Researching a related question, I came across passages like:
You shall also make for them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; they shall extend from the hips to the thighs.—Exodus 28:42 ...
3
votes
1answer
66 views
Did Barak already know what he was supposed to do in Judges 4:6-7?
Since we're on a Deborah kick lately:
The ESV renders Deborah's statement to Barak in Judges 4:6-7 as a question:
Has not the LORD, the God of Israel, commanded you, "Go, gather your
men at ...
3
votes
2answers
441 views
Why was Zacchaeus saved according to Jesus?
In Luke 19:1-10 we read the story of Zacchaeus which ends like so:
And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone ...
3
votes
1answer
86 views
The meaning of “I” in Zechariah 7:3
Zechariah 7:2-3 (with my emphasis)
The people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-Melech, together with their men, to entreat the LORD by asking the priests of the house of the LORD Almighty ...
3
votes
1answer
36 views
What is the significance of the phrase πιστὸς ὁ λόγος (“the faithful saying”) in Pauline epistles?
I was browsing the first epistle of Timotheos, and I noticed that the apostle Paulos sometimes preceded a statement by the Greek phrase πιστὸς ὁ λόγος (cp. 1 Tim. 1:15), which may be translated as ...
3
votes
2answers
72 views
Who repents in Zechariah 1:6?
The first oracle the prophet Zechariah receives is this:
2"The Lord was very angry with your fathers. 3Therefore say to them, Thus declares Yahweh of hosts: Return to me, says Yahweh of hosts, and ...
3
votes
3answers
849 views
What is the story behind mourning for Hadad-rimmon in Zechariah 12:11?
Zechariah, like Revelation which draws on it, is a tough nut to crack but very rich. In the twelfth chapter, the prophet records the word of Yahweh that
The sorrow and mourning in Jerusalem on ...
3
votes
3answers
399 views
Who are the “third and fourth generation” in Exodus 20:5?
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow ...
3
votes
1answer
370 views
Jewish interpretation of Daniel 7:13-14
As a Reformed Christian, a take a Christological reading of Daniel 7:13-14:
I saw in the night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to ...
3
votes
1answer
161 views
“God of Heaven” in the book of Daniel
I noticed that "the God of heaven" is a common title used for God in the book of Daniel. Is this name used anywhere else in the Scriptures? Why is it used so much in the book of Daniel? (Perhaps for ...
3
votes
1answer
387 views
What is the significance of the Rose of Sharon?
Several times, I've heard the song He is Yahweh by Vineyard. The chorus goes as follows:
Creator God, He is Yahweh
The Great I Am, He is Yahweh
The Lord of All, He is Yahweh
Rose of Sharon, ...
