Chapter 1

1:5 - "And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls." But this contradicts Acts 7:14 which says there were 75.

* This was addressed in Genesis.  Acts 7:14 says that seventy-five of Jacob's kindred came to Egypt.  There were five "kindred" that weren't mentioned by name.  This Hebrew word refers to relatives and people with a familial relationship.  This doesn't contradict the statement in Exodus 1:5 where it is said "all the souls that come out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls."

1:5, 7 - The Israelite population went from 70 (or 75) to several million (Ex.12:37) in a few hundred years.

* Exodus 12:37 says there were six hundred thousand men at this time.  If you count their wives and children and the several hundred years in Egypt, this isn't an unthinkable amount of people.

1:18-20 - God rewarded the Hebrew midwives for lying to the Pharaoh, contrary to the verses in the Bible that forbid lying.

* God "dealt well" with the midwives because they refused to kill the Jewish, male children.  He didn't reward their lying.

Chapter 2

2:11-12 - Moses murders an Egyptian after making sure that no one is looking.

* This is written in the Bible.  It was not condoned, though, and he was punished for it.

2:14-15 "Moses feared" and "fled from the face of Pharaoh." But Heb.11:27 says that Moses did not fear the Pharaoh.

* Hebrews 11:27 was referring to Moses' great faith in delivering the decrees of the plagues on Egypt to the Pharaoh.

2:18 - Who was Moses' father-in-law?

* Reuel, Jethro and Hobab are the same person.  Moses called him by different names, though.

* When Moses escaped from Pharaoh, Reuel gave him a home.  He also helped Moses grow and mature for 40 years.  Reul means "friend of God."

* Moses cared for his sheep and they multiplied.  This is why we see his father-in-law called "Jethro," next.  "Jethro" means "abundance."

* After some time, Moses really enjoys his new family and desires his father-in-law's presence.  Therefore, he is called "Hobab."  "Hobab" means "cherished."

2:25 - "God had respect unto them [the Israelites], contrary to the many Bible verses that say that God has respect for no one.

* God respects people, but He doesn't respect earthly titles and names.

Chapter 3

3:1 - Who was Moses' father-in-law?

* Reuel, Jethro and Hobab are the same person.  Moses called him by different names, though.

* When Moses escaped from Pharaoh, Reuel gave him a home.  He also helped Moses grow and mature for 40 years.  Reul means "friend of God."

* Moses cared for his sheep and they multiplied.  This is why we see his father-in-law called "Jethro," next.  "Jethro" means "abundance."

* After some time, Moses really enjoys his new family and desires his father-in-law's presence.  Therefore, he is called "Hobab."  "Hobab" means "cherished."

3:16 - Can God be seen?

* These verses simply say that God appeared. God the Father has no body and has never been seen by human eyes. However, He has appeared to people as a cloud, a burning bush, etc.

3:22 - God tells the Hebrew women to break the eighth commandment.

* The Hebrews had been slaves of the Egyptians for many years.  This command from God doesn't involve stealing, it involves retribution.

* This Hebrew word for "plunder" is also interpreted "recover."  The Egyptians had taken what was not theirs - the Hebrews' time and possessions.

Chapter 4

4:2-9 - God shows Moses some tricks that he says are sure to impress. First: Throw your rod on the ground; it will become a snake. Second: Make your hand appear leprous, and then cure it. Then, if these two don't do the trick, pour water on the ground and it will turn into blood. (That ought to do it!)

* These are the miraculous signs that God gave to Moses and they are recorded in the Word of God.

4:5 - Can God be seen?

* These verses simply say that God appeared. God the Father has no body and has never been seen by human eyes. However, He has appeared to people as a cloud, a burning bush, etc.

4:11 - Why are some people born with disabilities? Because God deliberately makes them that way.

* This verse says that God creates all people.  It doesn't necessarily say that He causes all disabilities.  Sin brought death and disease into the world (Genesis 1).  Before sin, these things did not exist.  Therefore, God isn't causing people to be this way, imputed sin is the cause.

4:11 - Who makes people deaf and blind? God.

* This verse shows that God makes people a variety of ways.  He even allows people to be mute, deaf, and blind.  God is so sovereign and in control that even when he allows something to happen it could be said that He made it happen.  This is why there is some confusion here.

* Foul spirits are still under God's control.  However, He allows them to do certain things for certain reasons.

4:18 - Who was Moses' father-in-law?

* Reuel, Jethro and Hobab are the same person.  Moses called him by different names, though.

* When Moses escaped from Pharaoh, Reuel gave him a home.  He also helped Moses grow and mature for 40 years.  Reul means "friend of God."

* Moses cared for his sheep and they multiplied.  This is why we see his father-in-law called "Jethro," next.  "Jethro" means "abundance."

* After some time, Moses really enjoys his new family and desires his father-in-law's presence.  Therefore, he is called "Hobab."  "Hobab" means "cherished."

4:21 - God begins the process of "hardening Pharaoh's heart" (see also Ex.7:3, 13, 9:12, 10:1, 20, 27, 11:10, 14:4, 8), thus making it impossible for any of the plagues that God sends to have any beneficial effect. But according to 1 Samuel 6:6, God didn't harden the Pharaoh's heart; the Pharaoh did it himself.

* 1 Samuel 6:6 doesn't say that God did not harden Pharaoh's heart.  The verses in Exodus say God hardened Pharaoh's heart and the verse in Samuel recognizes that Pharaoh played a part in hardening his own heart.

4:23 - God threatens to kill the Pharaoh's firstborn son.

* This is written in the Bible.

4:24-26 - God decides to kill Moses because his son had not yet been circumcised. Luckily for Moses, his Egyptian wife Zipporah "took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me. So he [God] let him go." This story shows the importance of penises to God, and his hatred of foreskins.

* God wanted His people to be separate from the rest.  He also wanted them to enter into a covenant with Him.  This involved being obedient to Him and removing their foreskins.

Chapter 6

6:3 - God says that Abraham didn't know that his name was Jehovah. Yet in Gen.22:14 Abraham names the place where he nearly kills Isaac after God's name, Jehovah.

* This was answered in Genesis.  All throughout Genesis, Abraham never calls God Jehovah.  He calls God "Adonai" and "Yahweh."  He names this place Jehovah Jireh.

6:12, 30 - In complaining about his difficulty with public speaking, Moses says, "Behold I am of uncircumcised lips." Maybe he should join Toastmasters.

* There is no contradiction here.

6:16, 18, 20 - Levi, Kohath, and Amram join the long list of biblical characters with ridiculously long lives (137, 133, and 137 years, respectively).

* We have seen a person named Jeanne Calment live 122 years. Therefore, it isn't unreasonable to believe that someone could live 10-15 years longer.

6:20 - Moses was the product of an incestuous marriage. Such unions are condemned in Leviticus (Lev.18:12 and Lev.20:19).

* At this point, these marriages had not been condemned.

Chapter 7

7:3 - God hardens Pharaoh's heart for the second time. But this contradicts 1 Samuel 6:6, which says that the Pharaoh hardened his own heart.

* 1 Samuel 6:6 doesn't say that God did not harden Pharaoh's heart.  The verses in Exodus say God hardened Pharaoh's heart and the verse in Samuel recognizes that Pharaoh played a part in hardening his own heart.

7:4 - God will make sure that Pharaoh does not listen to Moses, so that he can kill Egyptians with his armies.

* This verse indicates God's desire to free His people. Incidentally, there are verses that indicate God hardened Pharaoh's heart and there are verses that say he hardened his own heart. Therefore, we know that he did the hardening, but God allowed it. As the biblical author wrote about a sovereign God, it was sometimes impossible to separate the fact that God could allow something without making it happen.

* The Egyptians were unrepentant sinners.  They had foreign gods and enslaved the Israelites.  God hardened Pharaoh's heart, but he had hardened his own heart, too.

7:5, 17 - "And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD." Who else could be so cruel and unjust?

* The Egyptians had oppressed and mistreated the Israelites for many years. They refused to let them worship God and have the freedom they deserved. Therefore, God sent Moses to tell them to repent, He gave them time to repent, and when they didn't He deemed it time to judge them for their sins.

7:8-13 - God tells Moses and Aaron that when Pharaoh asks for a miracle just throw your rod down and it will become a serpent. So when the time comes, Aaron throws down his rod and it becomes a serpent. But the Egyptian magicians duplicate this trick. Luckily, for Aaron, his snake swallows theirs. (Whew!) Immediately after the magic show, God hardens Pharaoh's heart again, (contradicting 1 Samuel 6:6, which says that the Pharaoh hardened his own heart).

* The Egyptians were unrepentant sinners.  They had foreign gods and enslaved the Israelites.  God hardened Pharaoh's heart, but he had hardened his own heart, too.

7:17-24 - After the rod to serpent trick, God tells Moses and Aaron to smite the river and turn it into blood. This is the first of the famous 10 plagues of Egypt. Unfortunately, the magicians know this trick too, and they do so with their enchantments. Shucks! Just how the river could be turned to blood by the Egyptian sorcerers after it had been turned to blood by Moses and Aaron is not explained.

* Exodus 7:22 doesn't say the magicians turned the same water into blood.  They turned different water into blood.

Chapter 8

8:2-7 - The second plague is frogs. Frogs covered the land. They were all over the beds and filled the ovens. But the Egyptian magicians did this trick too. (Did they wait until the frogs cleared out from the last performance before doing it again?) After the frog making contest was declared a draw, all the frogs died and "they gathered them together upon heaps; and the land stank." I bet. but at least it was all for the greater glory of God.

* The Bible doesn't specify if they waited or not. 

8:17-19 - Plague #3 is lice in man and beast. This is the first trick that the magicians couldn't do. After this the magicians were convinced that Moses and Aaron's plagues were done by "the finger of God," and they gave up trying to match the remaining seven plagues. I guess lice are harder to make than frogs.

* This was recorded in the Bible.

8:21 - The fourth plague is swarms of flies, continuing the frogs and lice theme.

* This was written, too.

Chapter 9

9:2-6 - The fifth plague: all cattle in Egypt die. But a little later, in the seventh plague, God kills them again Ex.9:19-20.

* Between these two plagues, there was plenty of time for several things to happen.  The evil Egyptians could have stolen the Hebrews' cattle, bought or stolen some from traders, or some of the generous Hebrews could have given some of their cattle to the Egyptians.

9:9-12 - The sixth plague: boils and blains upon man and beast. After this plague "the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh" again, contradicting 1 Samuel 6:6, which says that the Pharaoh hardened his own heart.

* The Egyptians were unrepentant sinners.  They had foreign gods and enslaved the Israelites.  God hardened Pharaoh's heart, but he had hardened his own heart, too.

9:14 - "For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth." Who else but the biblical god could be so cruel?

* This was simply a warning that Moses was supposed to give to Pharaoh. God was angry that Pharaoh wasn't letting His people go. He was giving Pharaoh time to repent and obey God, but God was running out of patience and revealing a stern consequence to the offender.

9:19-20 - God kills all Egyptian cattle with hail. But according to Ex.9:6 he had already killed them all with the murrain.

* Between these two plagues, there was plenty of time for several things to happen.  The evil Egyptians could have stolen the Hebrews' cattle, bought or stolen some from traders, or some of the generous Hebrews could have given some of their cattle to the Egyptians.

9:22-25 - The seventh plague is hail. "And the hail smote throughout the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast."

* This is recorded in the Bible.

Chapter 10

10:1 - God hardens Pharaoh's heart for the fifth time. But this contradicts 1 Samuel 6:6, which says that the Pharaoh hardened his own heart.

* The Egyptians were unrepentant sinners.  They had foreign gods and enslaved the Israelites.  God hardened Pharaoh's heart, but he had hardened his own heart, too.

10:4-5 - Eighth plague: locusts that are so thick that they "covered the face of the whose earth." (Even over Antarctica?)

 * Exodus 10:4-5 doesn't say locusts covered the "whole earth."  It says they covered the earth.

10:20 - God hardens Pharaoh's heart again (sixth time). But this contradicts 1 Samuel 6:6, which says that the Pharaoh hardened his own heart.

* The Egyptians were unrepentant sinners.  They had foreign gods and enslaved the Israelites.  God hardened Pharaoh's heart, but he had hardened his own heart, too.

10:21 - Ninth plague: three days of darkness. The darkness was so this that the Egyptians couldn't even see each other. But the darkness knew how to avoid the Israelites, and so "all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings."

* This is recorded in the Bible.  The Creator of darkness and light could surely make it be dark and light where He wished.

10:27 - God hardens the Pharaoh's heart for the seventh time. But this contradicts 1 Samuel 6:6, which says that the Pharaoh hardened his own heart.

* The Egyptians were unrepentant sinners.  They had foreign gods and enslaved the Israelites.  God hardened Pharaoh's heart, but he had hardened his own heart, too.

Chapter 11

11:4-6 - These verses clearly show the mass murder of innocent children by God (see 12:29-30) was premeditated.

* This was recorded in the Bible.  However, these children were not innocent and neither were their parents or their leaders.  The Egyptians were pagan slave owners who wouldn't give the Hebrews their freedom.  They had ample time to repent and plenty of warnings.  Plus, they knew how to be "passed over," but they ignored the warnings.

11:9 - God explains to Moses that he has been hardening Pharaoh's heart so that Pharaoh will not let the Israelites go. God says that this way he'll be able to show off his latest signs and wonders (by murdering little children).

* Because of the sins of the Egyptians and because of their unrepentant hearts, God's glory and judgment was given to them.

11:10 - God hardens Pharaoh's heart one last time "so that the would not let the children of Israel go out of his land." But this contradicts 1 Samuel 6:6, which says that the Pharaoh hardened his own heart.

* The Egyptians were unrepentant sinners.  They had foreign gods and enslaved the Israelites.  God hardened Pharaoh's heart, but he had hardened his own heart, too.

Chapter 12

12:12 - God explains to Moses that he intends to "smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast. God will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt. So I guess there must be more than one god.

* God does tell Moses His plan of judgment.

* This Hebrew word for "god" is "Elohim."  Not only is it used to designate the Creator God, it also has the following definitions: "magistrates, judges, angels, gods," etc.

* There is one, true God.  There are many "gods."  Numerous things can be called gods.  You could call television a god.  You could call an idol a god.  Something that takes your attention and worship away from God and puts it on them becomes a god.

12:15 - " Seven days shall ye eat unleaven bread [during the Passover]," but Dt.16:8 says six days.

* Deuteronomy 16:3 says they will eat unleavened bread for seven days.  Deuteronomy 16:8 says they will eat unleavened bread in their homes for six days, then they will go to the assembly on the seventh day; where they would also eat unleavened bread.

12:29 - After God has sufficiently hardened the Pharaoh's heart, he kills all the firstborn Egyptian children. When he was finished "there was not a house where there was not one dead." Finally, he runs out of little babies to kill, so he slaughters the firstborn cattle, too. Of course there shouldn't have been any cattle since God already killed them with a "grievous murrain (Ex.9:6)." Well maybe he created some more so that he'd have some more to kill.

* Between these two plagues, there was plenty of time for several things to happen.  The evil Egyptians could have stolen the Hebrews' cattle, bought or stolen some from traders, or some of the generous Hebrews could have given some of their cattle to the Egyptians.

12:35-36 - God encourages the Israelites to steal from the Egyptians. But stealing is forbidden in many Bible passages.

* The Hebrews had been slaves of the Egyptians for many years.  This command from God doesn't involve stealing, it involves retribution.

* This Hebrew word for "plunder" is also interpreted "recover."  The Egyptians had taken what was not theirs - the Hebrews' time and possessions.

12:37 - The Israelites went from a population of only seventy (Ex.1:5) to several million (600,000 men) in a few hundred years.

* Exodus 12:37 says there were six hundred thousand men at this time.  If you count their wives and children and the several hundred years in Egypt, this isn't an unthinkable amount of people.

12:40 - This verse says the Egyptian captivity lasted 430 years, but Gen.15:13 and Acts 7:6 say it lasted for only 400 years.

* Their captivity lasted four hundred and thirty years and their affliction lasted four hundred years.  If you read these verses closely, you'll see that none of them contradict.  Click here for a timeline of these events.

12:43, 45, 48 - No stranger, foreigner, slave, or uncircumcised person can eat the passover.

* God's covenant was with the Israelites. They were His chosen people. Therefore, they were required to obey specific laws of God in the Old Testament.

* These verses actually explain how servants and strangers could partake in the Passover. They had to be circumcised. See verses 44 and 48.

12:44 - "But every man's servant that is bought for money...." Once again, God shows his approval of slavery.

* God never gives His approval of slavery. However, He did make laws that gave servants rights. In the rest of this verse, we see that God explains how a servant can partake of the Passover meal.

Chapter 13

13:2, 12, 15 - To commemorate the divine massacre of the Egyptian children, Moses instructs the Israelites to "sacrifice to the Lord all that openeth the matrix" -- all the males, that is. God has no use for dead, burnt female bodies.

* The animals mentioned here were for sacrificing to God.  The people mentioned here are "consecrated" to God.  These people are not killed (nor does this passage mention their death).  They are consecrated (set apart) to God and given tabernacle duty and such.

Chapter 14

14:4-28 - After hardening Pharaoh's heart a few more times, God drowns Pharaoh's army in the sea [after he takes off their chariot wheels (Ex.14:24-25)]. By so doing he claims to have gotten himself honor. But this contradicts 1 Samuel 6:6, which says that the Pharaoh hardened his own heart.

* The Egyptians were unrepentant sinners.  They had foreign gods and enslaved the Israelites.  God hardened Pharaoh's heart, but he had hardened his own heart, too.

* Incidentally, one of these chariot wheels may have been found in the Red Sea.  This was recorded and documented in "The Exodus Case" by Lennart Moller.

14:23 - The Egyptians chased after the Israelites with "all Pharaoh's horses." But according to Ex.9:3-6 there wouldn't have been any horses, since God killed them all in "a very grievous murrain."

* The Egyptians had plenty of time to buy, steal, and trade for more horses.

Chapter 15

15:3 - "The Lord is a man of war." Indeed, judging from his acts in the Old Testament, he is a vicious warlike monster. But how can the same God be both a "man of war" and a "God of peace"?

* There is a certain peace that we won't know until we are in Heaven.  However, God does give His children times of peace and refreshment.

* Have you ever been angry?  Have you also been at peace?  It's not hard to see how one God can have a complete character.

15:6 - God's right hand dashes people in pieces.

* This is a poetic way to describe the things God had done.

15:8 - God divided the sea with a "blast of [his] nostrils."

* This is recorded in the Bible.

15:11 - "Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods?" Gee, I don't know. How many gods are there, anyway?

* This Hebrew term for "god" is also used for "idols, gods, deities," etc.

15:20-21 - Is dancing a sin?

* In this passage, the women praised the Lord with a dance. He was pleased, so we know that this kind of dancing is acceptable.

Chapter 16

16:29 - No one is to go outside of his house on the Sabbath. But Acts 1:12 implies that it's OK to go for a walk on the Sabbath. And other verses say it is not necessary to keep the Sabbath at all.

* Exodus 16:29 says that "no man should go out of his place" on the Sabbath.  This Hebrew word for "place" is also translated "country."

* In the Old Testament, the Israelites had to observe the Sabbath.  God wanted them to dedicate that day to Him.

* Jesus came and translated the commandment about the Sabbath.  Incidentally, this is the only one of the ten commandments that wasn't repeated in the New Testament.  Jesus and His disciples did things on the Sabbath, confirming that you could surely walk outside your house.

Chapter 17

17:6 - God stands on a rock and tells Moses to hit the rock. Then water comes out of it for the people to drink. God's such a clever guy!

* This was a miracle and it was recorded in the Bible.

17:11-12 - As long as Moses the magician keeps his hand up, the Israelites are successful in battle, but the second his hand falls, they start getting beat.

* This was recorded in the Bible, too.  There are many reasons for this miracle and many applications we can draw from it.  For instance, it is important to lift up our leaders while they work.

17:13 - Joshua, with God's approval, kills the Amalekites "with the edge of the sword."

* According to the text, Amalek and his army came to fight the Israelites.  The Israelites had no choice.  Nonetheless, they were a pagan and godless people that God had told to repent.

17:14-16 - "The Lord has sworn [God swears!] that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation." So God is still fighting Amalek. I hope Moses can still keep his hand up.

* God promises.  This isn't a curse.  This Hebrew word doesn't mean curse and it doesn't indicate profanity or an ungodly swear.

Chapter 18

18:5 - Who was the Moses' father-in-law?

* Reuel, Jethro, and Hobab are the same person.  Moses called him by different names, though.

* When Moses escaped from Pharaoh, Reuel gave him a home.  He also helped Moses grow and mature for 40 years.  Reul means "friend of God."

* Moses cared for his sheep and they multiplied.  This is why we see his father-in-law called "Jethro," next.  "Jethro" means "abundance."

* After some time, Moses really enjoys his new family and desires his father-in-law's presence.  Therefore, he is called "Hobab."  "Hobab" means "cherished."

18:11 - "Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods." Gosh, I guess there must be more than one.

* God does tell Moses His plan of judgment.

* This Hebrew word for "god" is "Elohim."  Not only is it used to designate the Creator God, it also has the following definitions: "magistrates, judges, angels, gods," etc.

* There is one, true God.  There are many "gods."  Numerous things can be called gods.  You could call television a god.  You could call an idol a god.  Things that take your attention and worship away from God and put it on them become a god.

Chapter 19

19:5 - God favors Israelites "above all people."

* Jesus Christ came from Israel.  Plus, Israel was the nation that God chose to bless.  Incidentally, this covenant was a conditional one.  God said, "if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant," then "you will be a special treasure to me above all other people."

19:12-13 - Any person or animal that touches Mt. Sinai shall be stoned to death or "shot through." Did Moses impose such severe penalties because he feared that someone might see him fake his meeting with God?

* God is holy and the people were not allowed to come near God.  Only Moses was to meet with Him.

19:15 - Moses, like a coach giving instructions to the team before the big game, tells the men to "come not at your wives" before he goes up to Mt. Sinai.

* This is written in the Word.  The New Testament confirms that times of chastity can be purifying and good.

Chapter 20

20:3 - The first commandment ("Thou shalt have no other gods before me.") condemns those who worship any other than the biblical god.

* This commandment forbids other gods.  God condemns people when they never accept, believe and trust Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  In essence, people condemn themselves.

20:4 - God forbids making any graven images. But later (Ex.25:18, Num.21:8) he provides instruction for the making of graven images.

* This Hebrew word for "graven" is also translated "idol."  God is telling the people to abstain from making idols (and worshiping them).

* Exodus 25:18 records God telling the Israelites to make two cherubim (angelic beings) to reside in their tabernacle as they worship God.

* In Numbers 21:7, the people seek forgiveness from God.  God tells them the way to obtain forgiveness is to look upon the fiery snake that was raised off the ground.  Incidentally, this is a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ's death on the cross and how sinners look to Him for forgiveness.

* This snake on the pole was never a graven image or an idol.  Consequently, it was never worshiped.

20:5 - "I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation." Any god that would make such a statement is worse than jealous, although that would be bad enough. He is cruel and unjust as well. This statement is repeated and contradicted in other parts of the Bible.

* This is an incomplete account of Exodus 20:5.  It omits the words "of them that hate me."  Those that hate God are punished.

* God's desire to have us worship and love Him before any other is a legitimate desire.  Interestingly, loving God and putting Him first helps our lives a lot.  There is a huge, therapeutic value in praising and worshiping God.  Therefore, His desire for us is best for us.

* Generational "curses" and diseases have been scientifically proven.  These things include alcoholism, drug addiction, etc. 

20:8-10 - God forbids the breaking of the Sabbath. But elsewhere the Bible says it is not necessary to keep the Sabbath.

* In the Old Testament, the Israelites had to observe the Sabbath.  God wanted them to dedicate that day to Him.

* Jesus came and translated the commandment about the Sabbath.  Incidentally, this is the only one of the ten commandments that wasn't repeated in the New Testament.  Jesus and His disciples did things on the Sabbath, confirming that you could surely walk outside your house.

20:12 - "Honor thy father and thy mother." But Jesus said we must hate our parents (Lk.14:26), refuse to call anyone father (Mt.23:9), and not bother to bury our parents when they die (Lk.9:59-60).

* This Greek word in Luke 14:26 for "hate" is better translated "love less."

* In Matthew 23:9, it reads "And call no man your father upon the earth, for one is your Father which is in heaven."  This verse is telling us to recognize God as our Heavenly Father and not to exalt our earthly father to this level. 

* Luke 9:59-60 was never a command to abstain from burying your parents.  The telling part of this passage reads "let the dead bury their own dead."  These words were spoken by Jesus and to a person who was double-minded about following Jesus.  Jesus told him that he should let the (spiritually) dead bury their own (literal) dead and he should preach the Kingdom of God.

20:13 - "Thou shalt not kill." Really? Then why does God command others to kill in many other Bible verses?

* This Hebrew word for "kill" is better translated "murder."

* God had specific reasons for the things He commanded people to do in the Bible.  There are capital punishment laws and there are reasons to go to war.  These deaths are not considered murders, though.

20:14 - God forbids adultery. But later he promotes it (Hos.1:2, 3:1).

* In Hosea 1:2, God tells Hosea to take a wife and her name was Gomer.  This passage never tells anyone to commit adultery.

* This is a beautiful and awesome picture of God and His relationship with Israel.  God is the Holy One and takes Israel as His bride (and later the church).  Israel and the church have embraced God, but then they commit adultery by chasing other gods (like Gomer does before and after she marries Hosea).

* Hosea 3:1 is a continuation of this account.  God doesn't encourage adultery here, either.  In fact, in Hosea 3:3, Hosea tells Gomer that she will be monogamous and promises the same.

20:15 - God forbids stealing. But sometimes he encourages it.

* God forbids stealing.  If there were alleged, contradictory passages of scripture, then I'd address them.

20:16 - "Thou shalt not bear false witness." But Paul and others are willing to lie a little to further God's truth (Rom.3:7, 2 Cor.12:16).

* In Romans 3:7, Paul never lies or encourages lying.  Paul offers a rhetorical statement to people who doubted.  He says, "For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?"  The truth of God couldn't be increased by a lie.  This is precisely why this statement is rhetorical.

* In 2 Corinthians 12:16, Paul never lies, admits to lying, or promotes lying.  In fact, he emphasizes how he was pure and did not sin against the Corinthians.

20:17 - "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, ... nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's." In the Bible, women are the property of men; they are his possessions -- like an ox or an ass. But in other places the bible says that it is OK to covet.

* The Bible is clear that husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it and wives are to submit to their husbands.  See Ephesians 5:24 and 25.  Remember, Christ died for His church.

* 1 Corinthians 12:31 uses the Greek word "dzaylo-o" and it means desire.  In fact, only the KJV translates this word into covet.  The following translations translate this Greek word into the English word desire (NKJV, YLT, NLT, and NIV) or strive for (NRSV).

* This same Greek word is used in 1 Corinthians 14:39.  Similarly, only the KJV translates this word into covet.  The following translations translate this Greek word into the English word desire (NKJV and YLT) or be eager (NIV, NLT, and NRSV).

* If there were references about "owning women," then I would address them, but there are none listed.

20:17 - In the Bible, women and slaves (servants in the KJV) are the property of men; they are his possessions -- like an ox or an ass

* This verse doesn't mention anything about slaves; just menservants and maidservants. Nonetheless, the Bible never condones owning slaves. It only gives laws to curtail it and eventually end it. See 1 Corinthians 13 for God's will regarding the ethical treatment of other humans.

20:24 - God gives instructions for killing and burning animals. He says that if we will make such "burnt offerings," he will bless us for it. What kind of mind would be pleased by the killing and burning of innocent animals?

* God tells the Israelites to make animal sacrifices to Him for the forgiveness of their sins.  God never told Gentiles or New Testament believers to do this.  In fact, the New Testament writers made it clear that this was no longer necessary.

* God told all people that "without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins."  Our sins require our death.  However, if there is the death of a flawless person in our place (a shedding of blood to the point of death), then we would be forgiven.  Before Jesus Christ, the death of a spotless lamb would temporarily take away the Israelites' sins.  Since Jesus came, died and rose from the dead, He has been the sacrifice that removes our sins, forever.

20:26 - God tells the priests not to go up the steps to the altar "that thy nakedness not be discovered thereon." (Skirts on stairs are a problem.)

* There is no contradiction here.

Chapter 21

21:2-6 - God sets down the rules regarding Hebrew slaves. You can buy one, but you must set him free on the seventh year. But if you have "given" him a wife and she bears children, then you get to keep the wife and kids. If he refuses to leave his family when his seven years are up, then bore a hole though his ear and keep him forever. (That sounds fair!)

* The word "slave" is not used in this passage (or in any translation of this passage).  The word here is "servant."  Therefore, this passage is clearly referring to paid help (like a live-in servant).

* Verse 4 refers to a law regarding a female Canaanite having a child with a male, Hebrew servant.  When an Israelite's servant has children and the servant decides to leave, then the master should keep the Canaanite wife and children.

21:7-8 - How to sell your daughter -- and what to do if she fails to please her new master.

* These passages of scripture are referring to giving an Israelite daughter away as a betrothed servant (like our present-day engagements) and receiving money from the family and the betrothed man.  This is like our dowry system and has nothing to do with selling a daughter into painful and unwilling "slavery."

* Exodus 21:8 says that it is the Israelite man's fault if his wife-to-be is not pleasing to him and he has no right to get a dowry for her from another nation.

21:10 - God's instructions for taking a second wife.

* This passage is a classic example of God meeting people where they are and loving them.  This is just like Jesus' answer to the Pharisees about divorce.  God never wanted men to have more than one wife or divorce his wife.  This was clear from Genesis.  However, God saw people doing these things, so He gave them laws trying to curb their sinful desires. 

* This kind of lawgiving has been seen in every country in the world.  Many citizens commit immoral crimes, therefore laws are put in place to curb these crimes.  However, when laws are suddenly in place that require people to completely abstain from something they're used to doing, then there is a large problem (we saw this in the U.S. when there were laws against alcohol called prohibition laws - there were riots, illegal alcohol sales, people getting sick and dying from homemade liquor, chaos, and even more depravity).  The most effective way to deal with this problem was to pass laws to curb the poor habits and behaviors associated with drinking alcohol, like no drinking and driving, no drinking until 21 years of age, no getting drunk in public, no giving alcohol to minors, etc.

* Matthew 19:3-9 reads, "The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, 'Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason? And He answered and said to them, 'Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.' They said to Him, 'Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?' He said to them, 'Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.'"

21:15, 17 - A child who hits or curses his parents must be executed.

* This Hebrew word for "smite" is also translated "murder."  "He that murders (smites) his father or mother should be put to death."  Capital punishment was the penalty for child murderers.

* Exodus 21:17 reads, "And he who curses his father or mother shall surely be put to death."  A law like this clearly shows several things: 1) the state of being of the children, 2) the authority of the parents and ultimately God, 3) God's holiness and intolerance of sin.

21:16 - Slavery is fine, and those who steal slaves must be killed.

* This passage never mentions slavery.  When the phrase "steal a man" is used, it is referring to kidnapping an Israelite.

21:20-21 - It's OK with God if you slowly beat your slaves to death. After all, they are your money.

* This passage of scripture proclaims that an Israelite master who murders a servant will be severely punished.

* Exodus 21:21 is referring to Israelite servants (not slaves) and this scenario was explained above with the parallels to the prohibition laws and divorce.

21:22-23 - If two men fight and cause a woman to miscarry, but do not hurt her, then the one who hurt her shall pay her husband an amount determined by the judges. Only if the woman dies is the punishment to be death. Apparently, then, with respect to abortion, God is pro-choice since he considers a woman's life to be more important that that of the fetus.

* The first part is written in the scriptures.

* God is plainly and clearly pro-life.  There are countless scriptures that proclaim God to be the giver and taker of life, knowing us before our birth, predestining us before birth, etc.  JCSM hosts an article with a great number of scriptures that relate to abortion at http://abortion.jcsm.org.

21:24-25 - An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.

* This is not a contradiction.

21:26-27 - It's okay to beat your slaves; even if they die you won't be punished, just as long as they survive a day or two after the beating (see verses 21:20-21). But avoid excessive damage to their eyes or teeth. Otherwise you may have to set them free. Oh well, it's a heck of a lot better than what would happen to you if you did it to a non-slave. (See verses 21:24-25)

* These verses use the word "servants" and not "slaves."  They simply indicate that the Israelites were to let their servants go if they did some damage to their eyes or teeth.  These verses do not state that it was ok for the Israelites to beat their servants.

21:28-29 - If an ox gores someone, then both the ox and its owner must die.

* Exodus 21:28 requires that an Israelite's ox be killed if it kills a person.

* Exodus 21:29 states that when a man knows that his ox has killed people, does nothing about it and it kills again, then he will be responsible and suffer the death penalty (with his ox).

21:32 - If an ox gores a slave, the owner of the ox must pay the owner of the slave 30 shekels of silver, and "the ox shall be stoned." Does God approve of slavery?

* God doesn't approve of slavery.  However, in Old Testament times, he knew the Israelites insisted on having slaves, so besides having laws against mistreating others in general, God added laws about the treatment of slaves.  However, it was always His desire to have people abolish slavery.

Chapter 22

22:3 - Selling a thief to pay for his theft.

* If a thief cannot repay his debt, then he will essentially work it off.

22:13 - If a thief is caught and is too poor to make a complete restitution, then he is to be sold to pay for his theft.

* This was a way that a thief could work off his or her crime. This passage is about crime and restitution.

22:16 - If you "entice" an "unmarried maid" to "lie" with you, then you must marry her, unless the father refuses to give her to you, in which case you must pay him the going price for virgins.

* This "price" was a dowry.

22:18 - "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live." Thousands of innocent women have suffered excruciating deaths because of this verse.

* This was an important command for the Israelites.  If other people have assumed this commandment was for them, then they are mistaken.  The context of this passage shows this commandment was given to the Israelites and for the Israelites.

* Witchcraft was strictly forbidden because the Israelites were to be set apart for God and weren't suppose to embrace other religions or philosophies. They were to remain as pure as possible because the Messiah was to come from their lineage.

22:19 - "Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death." Is it really necessary to kill such people? Couldn't we just send them to counseling or something?

* This was recorded in the Bible.  God is a holy and pure God and wanted His people to remain holy and pure, too.  The Israelites were to bring the Messiah into the world and their lineage needed to be unpolluted and they needed to stay morally pure.

22:20 - "He who sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the Lord only, he shall be utterly destroyed." If this commandment is obeyed, then the four billion people who do not believe in the biblical god must be killed.

* This commandment was for the ancient Israelites.  There were many reasons for this command, too.  A few of these reasons are: demons had interbred with the pagans (seen in Genesis 6 and after the flood, seen in the form of giants or "Nephilim"), there had to be a purified line of people to produce Jesus Christ, etc.

22:21-22 - Be kind to strangers, widows, and fatherless children. Good advice. It's a shame that the bible doesn't teach this consistently. See Numbers (1:51, 3:10, 3:38, 18:7), where God orders the Israelites to kill strangers; Num.31:14-18, where Moses orders the murder of all non-virgin woman (I guess that'd include most widows); and 1 Sam.15:2-3, where God commands Saul to kill every "man and woman, infant and suckling" -- which would include fatherless children.

* Numbers 1:51 includes instructions about the tabernacle.  Only the High Priest was allowed to go into the Holy of Holies and this was only once a year.  There isn't much surprise that "strangers" weren't allowed in the tabernacle and were given harsh punishment if they trespassed.

* God is a holy God and this is the place where He chose to dwell.  He gave strict laws to His own people regarding purity and the tabernacle.  Therefore, the strangers (pagans) who would be approaching the tabernacle with evil intentions would be punished severely.

* Numbers 3:10, 3:38, and 18:7 closely resembles Number 1:51.

* 1 Samuel 15:2 and 3 read, "Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass."  This clearly reminds us how Amalek ambushed Israel as they left Egypt.  Their punishment was to be utter destruction.

* Whenever Israel did not completely destroy a pagan people, they ended up mixing with them and injuring themselves.  Sometimes, they would take pagan wives, pagan idols, etc.  These things always led to sin and destruction.  Therefore, the command to utterly destroy the Amalekites was not unfounded.

22:24 - If you make God angry enough, he will kill you and your family with his own sword.

* If you read verses 22 and 23, you'll see that God is clearly giving a warning to men who afflict Israelite widows and fatherless children.  He is telling the Israelite widow and fatherless child that He will avenge them if another man treats them with contempt.

22:28 - "Thou shalt not revile the gods ( is there more than one?), nor curse the ruler of thy people (even if the ruler is a tyrant?).

* God is telling the Israelites not to revile any other gods (idols).

* The Israelites were commanded not to curse their rulers.  Incidentally, they never had any tyrant rulers.

22:29 - "The firstborn of thy sons thou shalt give unto me." (As a burnt offering?)

* No.  This verse doesn't imply child sacrifice (which was never practice by the Israelites).  This command refers to dedicating the firstborn child to God's service and keeping. 

Chapter 23

23:9 - How should strangers be treated? Be kind to them.

* This verse tells the Israelites to avoid oppressing strangers.

23:13 - Don't even mention the names of the other gods.

* This is what the scriptures say.  How can a person begin worshiping an idol or god if they never talk about him/her/it?  Answer: they can't.

23:15 - How long are we supposed to eat unleavened bread on the Passover? Six or seven days?

* This scripture says seven days and it correlates with other passages of scripture.  When the Israelites left Egypt, they were told how to celebrate Passover.  They eat unleavened bread, on their own, for six days.  On the seventh day, they go to the assembly and eat it together.

23:17 - Three times a year God wants to see all of the males. The females he never wants to see.

* This passage says nothing about the women.  Incidentally, God always sees all people.  Men were simply accountable to God for their households.

23:24 - Do not allow others to worship a different god. Conquer them and destroy their religious property.

* God told the Israelites to conquer certain pagan people and destroy their evil idols.  God had a plan to bring the Messiah through the Israelites and wanted them to be preserved and holy.

23:27 - God promises to "send his fear before the Israelites" and to kill everyone that they encounter when they enter the promised land.

* This is true.  God had a plan to prosper the godly Israelites and destroy certain pagan people.  There were many reasons for God's plan.  Here are some: 1) He had given the pagans plenty of time to repent, 2) the Israelites were obedient to God and were consequently blessed by Him, 3) the Messiah was going to come from Israel, 4) fallen angels had bred with the pagan people and produced demonic, hybrid offspring that needed to be destroyed, etc.

23:28 - God has hornets that bite and kill people.

* This passage says nothing about biting and killing.  It simply says that God will use hornets to "drive out" the Hittites, Canaanites, and Hivites.

23:32 - Stay away from those who worship a different god.

* In this verse, God commands the Israelites to avoid making covenants with godless people and to avoid making covenants with their gods. The Israelites were to be separated and consecrated to God. Becoming yoked with pagans and worshiping their gods was forbidden.

Chapter 24

24:5-8 - Moses has some animals killed and their dead bodies burned for God. Then he sprinkles their blood on the altar and on the people. This makes God happy.

* Ever since the beginning, God told people how their sins could be forgiven.  "Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins."  Our sins earn us the death penalty.  However, faith in Christ's sacrifice on the cross will give us eternal life.  The Israelites did not have this covenant yet, so they sacrificed an animal and their sins were temporarily forgiven.

24:9-10 - Moses, Aaron, and seventy of their companions saw God. How could this have happened if no one has ever seen God?

* The word "saw" is used figuratively.  God was only seen through a cloud and this is verified by the rest of the chapter (see verse 16).

* The word "saw" in verse 11 is explicitly used like this: "to mentally perceive, to have a vision."  They did not literally see God.

24:10 - God has feet.

* This verse figuratively uses the word "feet."

Chapter 25

25-30 - Six chapters are wasted on divine instructions for making tables, candlesticks, snuffers, etc.

* These details were important.  If nothing else, their inclusion shows that God cares about details and the "small" elements of life.

25:18 - God tells Moses to make some graven images for him, contrary to the commandment given in Ex.20:4 and Dt.5:8.

* God told Moses to make cherubim (angelic creatures) to adorn the mercy seat.  This was part of the ark of the covenant.  This wasn't an idol or something to be worshiped.

Chapter 28

28:2, 20, 40 - God decrees that priestly garments, girdles, and bonnets shall be made "for glory and beauty."

* Yes, God designated his priests with special attire.

28:34-35 - Aaron must where a bell whenever he enters "the holy place" or God will kill him.

* These scriptures are telling Aaron to wear a bell when he enters the Holy of Holies.  Nobody was allowed in there, so if he were to have a heart attack or die (somehow), then the bell would not ring and indicate his death.  This is also why a rope was tied to him, with one end staying outside of the Holy of Holies.

28:42 - God gives instructions for making priestly breeches. "And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs shall they reach."

* Yes, they were to wear linen breeches.

Chapter 29

29:11-37 - Get some animals, kill them, chop up their bodies, wave body parts in the air, burn the carcasses, and sprinkle the blood all around -- in precisely the way God tells you. It may well make you sick, but it makes God feel good. But keep those strangers away from these animal sacrifices. Because God hates strangers just as much as he loves blood and guts and gore.

* This isn't exactly like it is written. 

* God tells the Israelites to make animal sacrifices to Him for the forgiveness of their sins.  God never told Gentiles or New Testament believers to do this.  In fact, the New Testament writers made it clear that this was no longer necessary.

* God told all people that "without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins."  Our sins require our death.  However, if there is the death of a flawless person in our place (a shedding of blood to the point of death), then we would be forgiven.  Before Jesus Christ, the death of a spotless lamb would temporarily take away the Israelites' sins.  Since Jesus came, died and rose from the dead, He has been the sacrifice that removes our sins forever.

* Numbers 1:51 includes instructions about the tabernacle.  Only the High Priest was allowed to go into the Holy of Holies and this was only once a year.  There isn't much of a surprise that "strangers" weren't allowed in the tabernacle and were given harsh punishment if they trespassed.

* God is a holy God and this is the place where He chose to dwell.  He gave strict laws to His own people regarding purity and the tabernacle.  Therefore, the strangers (pagans) who would be approaching the tabernacle with evil intentions would be punished severely.

29:14 - God instructs the priests to burn the dung of bullocks outside the camp as a sin offering.

* This is what was written.

29:20-21 - God tells Moses to kill a ram and put the blood on the tip of Aaron's right ear, and on his right thumb, and on his right big toe, and then sprinkle the blood around the altar. Finally, sprinkle some on Aaron and his sons and on their garments. This will make them "hallowed."

* These are more instructions on the sacrifice ritual.

29:22-24 - God tells Aaron and his sons to take the rump, fat, caul, kidneys, and right shoulder of the ram and add a loaf of bread or two, and a wafer of unleavened bread. Then they put the whole mess in the hands of Aaron and his sons and they wave them before the Lord. This is a wave offering.

* God had specific commands for the offerings he desired.

29:36, 38-39 - Have your killed and offered your bullock for a sin offering today? How about the two lambs you are supposed to offer each day?

* These were laws for the pre-Christ Israelites, not for us.

Chapter 30

30:20 - Wash up or die. This is a good verse to use when reminding the kiddies to wash their hands before supper.

* This law was given for people going "into the tabernacle" or "near the altar."  God wanted people to approach Him with clean hands (and a clean heart).

30:33 - Whoever puts holy oil on a stranger shall be "cut off from his people."

* Putting holy, anointing oil on a stranger wouldn't make sense.  The strangers were pagan.

30:37-38 - And whoever uses God's favorite perfume will be exiled.

* Using the ritual perfume in a private manner would be evil.

Chapter 31

31:14 - Those who break the Sabbath are to be executed. But this contradicts several other Bible verses.

* The word here is "defile" or "profane" the Sabbath.

* The Old Testament Israelites were required to keep the Sabbath, but the New Testament saints were and are not.

* Isaiah 1:13 begins by saying, "Bring no more futile sacrifices."  In this context, God is rebuking the Israelites for their sin.  They were knowingly sinning and just offering sacrifices or keeping the Sabbath, hoping God would be pleased.  They should have been actively obeying God because they were actually defiling the Sabbath by behaving this way.

31:17 - God was tired after making heaven and earth. so he had to take a day off to rest up. But Is.40:28 says that God never tires.

* This passage never says that God tired or was weakened after creating all things.  This passage says that God rested on the seventh day.

* God set an example for humans to follow; working for six days and resting for one day.  Incidentally, Jesus gave us an example of how to pray; even though He did not need to pray.

31:18 - God's finger.

* In this passage, the word "finger" is used in a figurative manner.

31:18 - Where did Moses receive the Ten Commandments? On Mount Sinai.

* This verse indicates that God gave Moses the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai.

Chapter 32

32:1-35 - Aaron makes a golden calf and tells the people to take off their clothes and dance around naked. God then punishes them mercilessly for following their divinely appointed religious leader.

* Moses was their leader.  Aaron was his assistant.

* Aaron sinned and allowed the people to sin, too.

32:10 - God asks to be left alone so that his "wrath may wax hot."

* God was upset at the Israelites for their idolatry.

32:14 - "And the Lord repented of the evil which he though to do unto his people." But how could a good God even consider doing evil to anyone? And how could an unchangeable God change his mind?

* God punishes sin because He is holy.  He also punishes sin because righteous people learn from their punishment and they become more godly with discipline.

* God's character never changed.  God is unchangeable.  God chose to exercise His perfect mercy instead of His perfect judgment.

32:19-21, 31 - Is dancing a sin?

* The people in this passage danced naked while worshiping a golden calf.  God was very angry at this.  Therefore, we know God forbids this sort of dancing, but we don't know anything more about dancing from this passage.

32:27-28 - God orders the sons of Levi (Moses, Aaron, and the other members of their tribe that were "on the Lord's side") to kill "every man his neighbor." "And there fell of the people that day about 3000 men." Is this the same God who commanded "Thou shalt not kill" in Ex.20:13 and Dt.5:17? Well, maybe he changed his mind again. Maybe he just couldn't control himself then he saw that golden calf and all those naked bodies.

* In Exodus 32:25 and 26, Moses calls all of the people who loved God and they came to Him.  The other people stayed in their sins and were punished.

* God told humans not to murder in Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17.  However, God did command the Israelites to perform several military missions which included killing pagans and idolaters.

* These people weren't just dancing naked.  They built an idol and they were worshiping it.  They had been delivered from Egypt by God and now they were rejecting Him.  Therefore, God judged them with their lives.

* God's command was against murder; against humans arbitrarily deciding to murder other humans.  God is the rightful giver and taker of life.  However, He has used humans to enact His judgment and this was one of those cases.

32:35 - But God wasn't satisfied with the slaughter of the 3000, so he killed some more people with a plague.

* Yes, God did punish the people with a plague.

Chapter 33

33:2 - God promises to cast out many nations including the Canaanites and the Jebusites. But he was unable to fulfill his promise.

* This was God's promise and God fulfilled this promise.  Where are the Canaanites today?  The Jebusites occupied "Jebus" and King David overthrew them and called the place "Jerusalem."  See 1 Chronicles 11.  It is called Jerusalem to this day.

33:11 - "And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend." This verse directly contradicts several other verses which say that no one has ever seen God.

* Exodus 33:11 reads, "And the Lord spake to Moses face to face, as a man speaketh to his friend."  This passage simply describes the relationship Moses had with God.  It has been shown that God revealed Himself to Moses by articulate sounds in his own language.

33:20 - Immediately after being told about Moses' face to face encounter with God, we are told that it never could have happened, since, as God explains to Moses, "no man can see me, and live."

* This passage is correct and so is Exodus 33:11.  "Face to face" is a metaphor and the words were used figuratively.

33:23 - Although God is too shy to let Moses see his face, he does permit a peek at his "back parts." (The divine mooning)

* This is partially correct.  God didn't let Moses see His face.  However, it has nothing to do with shyness. 

* God let Moses see the back of His glory (see verse 22).  This doesn't necessarily mean He mooned Moses.

Chapter 34

34:1 - In this verse God says he will write on the stone tablets, but in 34:27 he tells Moses to do the writing.

* God wrote on the tablets.  However, He also told Moses to write them (or copy them).  This practice was required of many Israelites.  See Deuteronomy 17:18.

* In Exodus 34:27, God clearly states, "write these words," then He doesn't speak.  It is obvious that God is referring to the words that were already written.

34:1 - Who wrote the (second set of) ten commandments?

* God wrote the second set of Ten Commandments. Moses wrote a copy. God's tablets were kept in the ark of the covenant as the originals. Moses' copy was for the people.

34:4 - Where did Moses receive the Ten Commandments? On Mount Sinai.

* This verse indicates that God gave Moses the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai.

34:7 - God says that he visits "the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and fourth generation." But in Dt.24:16 and Ezek.18:20 he denies this and says that the sons are not punished for the sins of their fathers.

* Exodus 34:7 states that the "iniquity of the fathers" will visit their children . . . to the fourth generation.  Deuteronomy 24:16 states that the son shall not be put to death for the father's sin and the father shall not be put to death for the son's sin.  The passage in Exodus warns about sin (like generational curses, such as alcoholism, addiction, etc.) and the passage in Deuteronomy is regarding the death penalty.

* Ezekiel 18:20 is better understood by reading verse 19, too.  Ezekiel 18:19 and 20 read, "Yet you say, ‘Why should the son not bear the guilt of the father?’ Because the son has done what is lawful and right, and has kept all My statutes and observed them, he shall surely live.  The soul who sins shall die.  The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son.  The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him (the son), and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him (the father)."  This passage is talking about a specific circumstance where the father is guilty of cruel oppression, violent robbery, etc., and he was to be punished.  However, his son was righteous and he was not to be punished.  Therefore, this passage isn't regarding the "iniquity of the fathers" that was mentioned in Exodus 34:7.  This is an entirely different subject. 

* How could these "generations" in Exodus 34:7 refer to the death penalty (like in Deuteronomy 24:16 and Ezekiel 28:20), when the death penalty of the male son (like in these situations) would obviously stop their generations?

34:11-14 - God drives out the pagan tribes and commands the Israelites to destroy their altars and places of worship.

* This is correct.  Rejecting God will be punished.  God is righteous and intolerant of sin.

34:14 - God, "whose name is Jealous", will not tolerate the worship of any other god.

* This is correct, too.  God does not want His creation to worship false gods.  He wants their undivided devotion.  Incidentally, behind each heart devoted to God is a blessed and successful person.

34:16 - "Their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods." God always blames the women; it is they who "go a whoring" and then "make" the men "go a whoring."

* Verse 15 and 16 (and the ones before it) describe the consequences of the Israelites intermingling with the pagans.  They read, "lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they play the harlot with their gods and make sacrifice to their gods, and one of them invites you and you eat of his sacrifice, and you take of his daughters for your sons, and his daughters play the harlot with their gods and make your sons play the harlot with their gods."

34:20 - If you can't redeem him, then just "break his neck." Hey, it's all for the glory of God.

* God told the Israelites to redeem each firstborn donkey with a lamb.  If they didn't do this, then they were to break the donkey's neck.

34:23 - "Thrice in the year shall all your men children appear before the Lord." But what about the "women children"? Don't they ever get to appear before the Lord?

* The men were responsible for their families to God.  Rest assured that all people are always in God's presence.

34:27 - Moses, not God as is said in 34:1, writes the words on the stone tablets.

* God wrote on the tablets.  However, He also told Moses to write them (or copy them).  This practice was required of many Israelites.  See Deuteronomy 17:18.

* In Exodus 34:27, God clearly states, "write these words," then He doesn't speak.  It is obvious that God is referring to the words that were already written.

34:27 - Who wrote the (second set of) ten commandments?

* God wrote the second set of Ten Commandments. Moses wrote a copy. God's tablets were kept in the ark of the covenant as the originals. Moses' copy was for the people.

34:32 - Where did Moses receive the Ten Commandments? On Mount Sinai.

* This verse indicates that God gave Moses the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai.

Chapter 35

35:2-3 - Whoever works, or even kindles a fire, on the Sabbath "shall be put to death." But other verses say it is not necessary to keep the Sabbath.

* In the Old Testament, God gave the Israelites a strict warning about defiling the Sabbath and breaking this law.  This law was to them and for them and was not repeated in the New Testament.  However, Christians still like to observe the Sabbath as they see fit and as they believe Jesus interpreted it (e.g. church and rest one day of the week, generally Sunday).

Chapter 38

38:26 - Seventy people (Gen.46:27, Ex.1:5) became several million in just a few generations (Ex.6:18, 20, Ex.7:7).

* There was plenty of time between the end of Genesis and the end of Exodus for this many people to be present.

Chapter 40

40:17 - When was the tabernacle set up?

* Exodus 40:17 reads, "And it came to pass in the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was raised up."  This doesn't conflict with Numbers 1:1.  Numbers 1:1 reads, "Now the Lord spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying: Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, every male individually."

* The passage in Exodus is telling us when the tabernacle was raised.  The passage in Numbers is talking about the command from the Lord to take a census.