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  • From: <tladatsi AT charter.net>
  • To: <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [b-hebrew] Answering "Children being punished" Ex 34:7 - 2 Sam 21 1-14
  • Date: Fri, 22 Apr 2005 3:36:46 +0000

Chris et al.

Let us assume that you are correct for the moment and
decide that the piqed (qal) in Ex 34:7 merely means *pay
attention to* rather than *punish*. Ex 34:7 is of course a
conditional comand, a law. How does that change the facts
of either 2 Sam 21 1-14 or 1 Sam 15 which are specific
cases where the law is applied.

In 1 Sam 15 the word used is *paqadtiy* "I will punish* and
Saul subsequently kills every Amalek, man, woman, child,
and infant (save Agag). The verb stem is qal, just like Ex
34:7. The sin was attacking Isreal on the way out of
Egypt. That *crime* occured at least a two hundred years
ealier, if not more. Although Ex 34:7 is not cited, it is
a clear cut case of the principle of punishing the living
for the crimes of the dead is put into practice.

Similarly in 2 Sam 21 the two sons and five grandsons of
Saul are put to death for Saul's attempt to kill the
Gibeonites, well after Saul himself was dead. In fact, the
bodies were left to hang for many days and were denied
proper burial until the end of the harvest. Being denied
proper and immediate burial is a special humiliation which
is in violation of Deu 21:22-23. Once more, there is more
case history where the principle expounded in Ex 34:7 is
put into detailed practice.

Jack Tladatsi





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