Month: August 2019

Problem: Deuteronomy 25:5–10 delineates what is known as the law of the levirate marriage. If a man dies and leaves his wife childless, the man’s brother was morally obligated to take his brother’s wife and raise up children in the name of his deceased brother. This practice insured that the brother’s name would not die out. However, Boaz was not the brother of Ruth’s dead husband. Wasn’t this marriage arrangement contrary to the law of the levirate marriage?

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Problem: After Boaz had eaten and drunk, he went to lie down. After he lay down, Ruth came up softly, uncovered Boaz’s feet, and lay with him. Doesn’t this imply that Ruth had intercourse with Boaz to obligate him to redeem her?

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Problem: The events of the Book of Judges cover a period from circa 1380 to 1050 b.c.Judges 18:30 makes reference to the fact that the sons of Jonathan were priests in Dan “until the … captivity of the land.” However, the captivity of the land took place in 722 b.c. How could this book have been composed during the time or shortly after the time of the Judges?

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Problem: Suicide is murder, and God said, “You shall not murder” (Ex. 20:13). There were many suicides in the Bible (see comments on 1 Sam. 31:4), and none of them received divine approval. Yet Samson committed suicide here with God’s apparent blessing.

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Problem: When Samson went to Timnah, he saw a Philistine woman whom he wanted to marry. Although his parents warned him not to pursue such a relation with this godless pagan woman, Samson refused to listen to their counsel. However, Judges 14:4 indicates that Samson’s desire for this woman was the work of God to use Samson to defeat the Philistines. How could God use the evil lusts of Samson to accomplish the deliverance of Israel from Philistine oppression?

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Problem: Just before Jephthah went into battle against the people of Ammon, he made a vow to the Lord. The vow he made was that if God would grant him victory over his enemies, then “whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace … I will offer it up as a burnt offering” (Judges 11:31). When Jephthah returned, the first one to come out to meet him was his daughter. Jephthah refused to go back on the vow he had made. But, the Bible clearly states that human sacrifice is an abomination to the Lord (Lev. 18:21; 20:2–5;Deut. 12:31; 18:10). How could God allow Jephthah to offer up his daughter, and then list Jephthah among the champions of faith in Hebrews 11:32?

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Problem: This verse affirms that Israel was in the land from the time of Moses to the time of Samuel, a period of about “three hundred years.” However, if one adds up all the reigns of the judges, it totals some 410 years.

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Problem: The story of the death of Sisera at the hands of Jael depicts a violent and cruel murder (Jud. 4:21). However, the song of Deborah recorded in Judges 5 commends Jael for killing Sisera. How can Jael be praised for committing such a violent murder? Continue reading →

Problem: According to Judges 4:21, Sisera was lying down fast asleep when Jael approached him softly and drove the tent peg through his temple and into the ground. However, Judges 5:27 seems to indicate that Sisera fell down after Jael pierced his head with the tent peg. Was Sisera lying down or was he upright when Jael killed him?

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Problem: The Bible says “the Lord raised up a deliverer” (Jud. 3:15) for Israel over their oppressor, King Eglon of Moab. Then it records how Ehud “took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his [Eglon’s] belly” (v. 21). How can the God who forbids murder (Ex. 20:13) condone a brutal assassination like this? Continue reading →

Problem: Joshua 10:40 declares that “Joshua conquered all the land … he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the Lord God of Israel had commanded.” But only a short time later, when the people occupied the land they had conquered, Judges 1:28 says Israel “did not completely drive them out,” but “put the Canaanites under tribute.” But if they had been utterly destroyed, then how could they still be there a few years later?

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Problem: In Judges 1:10, the three sons of Anak were “killed” by Judah. But, in verse 20 it says they were merely “expelled” from the land, which is what Joshua 15:14 says as well. Which was it?

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Problem: According to Joshua 24:25–26 (cf. v. 1), the sanctuary was at Shechem. But earlier (1 Sam. 3:21; 4:3), it was said to be in Shiloh.

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Problem: When God gave the Promised Land to Abraham (Gen. 12–15), Isaac (Gen. 26), and Jacob (Gen. 46), there were no conditions. It was an unconditional covenant (“I will bless you”) with no conditions (“If you do such and such”) in which God swore by His own unchangeable nature (cf. Heb. 6:13–18). However, later both Moses (Deut. 31:16–17) and Joshua (23:16) speak of God expelling Israel from the land if they sinned against God.

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