This is Your Bible; or, Did You Know? Part III

The father's of God's chosen people were cowards. Abraham and Isaac pretended that their wives were their sisters because they were afraid that they would be killed if other men knew that their wives were actually their wives. Jacob did not tell his stepfather that he and his family were leaving because he was afraid his stepfather would keep Jacob's wives, his daughters by force (Gen 31:31).

Jacob's wife Rachel stole her father's stuff when they were leaving (Gen 31:19).

The God of Abraham was one of many gods connected to different nations of the region in that time. There also was a God of Nahor (Gen 31:37).

Jacob was afraid that his brother would slaughter him and his family. He hid from his brother when he approached. It does not seem as though Jacob had any faith in God.

Jacob's sons were liars, murderers, and thieves. They told the Hivite prince that if he and all his men became circumcised, then they would forgive his son for having sex (defiling) with their sister, and their people would become as one. The prince agreed and had all the men circumcised. While all the Hivite men were sore and bedridden because of their circumcisions, Jacob's sons entered the city and killed them, took their livestock, wealth, children, and wives. (Gen 34)

Jacob's household had "strange gods" among them.

Jacob's first born, Reuben, had sex with Jacob's concubine.

Jacob's-now named Israel-sons hated their brother Joseph and conspired to kill him because he was loved so much by Jacob and because Joseph claimed to have dreams that indicated that he would rule over his older brothers.

Gen 38:7 God killed a baby who was wicked.

Gen 38:10 God killed a guy who ejaculated on the ground rather than impregnate his brother's wife. He wasted his semen despite being told to father his brother's children for his brother.

Gen 38:14 Judah had sex with a woman disguised as a prostitute. She turned out to be his own daughter-in-law. Judah wanted her burnt alive when he found out.

Gen 47:6 Joseph, acting as the Pharoah's governor, demanded that the people give the Pharoah everything they had and 20% of the crops they produced in the future in exchange for bread during years of famine.

Exodus 2:12 The first act of Moses recorded in the Bible was to kill an Egyptian and bury him in the sand.

Ex 2:24 & 12:41 God seemed to have forgotten his covenant with his people for over 400 years as they toiled as servants/slaves of the Egyptians.

Ex 4 To prove to others that Moses was sent by God, God gave Moses a handful of tricks that were actually reproducible by the Pharoah's magicians.

With these tricks and spectacles that come later, God seems to recognize that people will not believe without seeing with their own eyes.

Ex 4:21+ The Lord treats people like puppets. He tells Moses what to say. He hardens the Pharoah's heart. Etc.

Ex 8-9 The Lord does things in long, drawn out ways. He tries different ways of torturing and killing the Egyptians over the course of days and weeks.

Ex 12 There is something very wrong with leaven and leavened bread. If eaten during passover, God will disown you.

Ex 12:29 God murders babies and children. He killed all the firstborn of Egypt.

Ex 15 The Israelites really thought God was awesome after he caused the Red Sea to fall in on Pharoah's soldiers. They sang and rejoiced.

Ex 15:3 "The Lord is a man of war..."

Ex 12+ The Lord allows his people to come close to dying of thirst or starving before he finally provides for them after they complain.

Ex 17:16 God swears to "have war with Amalek from generation to generation."

Ex 20:5 God does not just punish the sinner, but punishes the sinner's children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and perhaps further down the line, all for the sins of the father.

The Other Commandments:

Ex 21:6 If a servant loves his master and does not wish to leave, the master "shall bore his ear through with an aul", and the servant shall serve him forever.

Ex 21:7 (Men may sell their daughters as maidservants)

Ex 21 The death sentence for murder, kidnapping, and cursing your father or mother.

Ex 21 One will only be punished if they beat and kill their servant or beat a pregnant woman and cause an abortion.

Ex 21:26 If one puts out a servants eye or tooth, that servant can go free.

Ex 21:28 If an ox gores a man, that ox must be stoned to death.

Ex 21:29 If someone knows that the ox they own is dangerous, and that ox kills someone, then the owner shall either be put to death or pay a ransom.

Ex 22:16 If one has sex with an unattached woman, then one must marry that woman.

Ex 22:18 "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live."

Ex 22:19-24 The death sentence for bestiality, sacrificing to any God other than the lord, and afflicting a widow or fatherless child.

Ex 22:25 Interest shall not be charged with a loan.

Ex 23:29-30 God will drive all others out of the land of Canaan-all those who currently live there-to make way for the Israelites. At least three nations already lived there-the Hivites, Canaanites, and Hittites.

Ex 31:15 Anyone found doing any work on the Sabbath shall be put to death.

Ex 32 Moses' right-hand man Aaron, who was chosen by God to be his mouthpiece, oversaw the making of a Golden Idol for the people. The people wanted a God they could worship, and they hadn't seen Moses in a long time, so saw to the construction of the Golden Calf, worshipped it, and had a big naked (yes, naked) party, despite the fact that the first commandment was that "thou shall have no other god before me".

Ex 32:14 The Lord has thought to do evil. He is capable of loosing his temper. He nearly did so, and nearly forgot his covenant with his people. Moses told him to repent, which God did.
Ex 32:27 Moses oversaw the killing of about three thousand men of his own people.