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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] children bear punishment for sins of parents - Examples

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  • From: Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>
  • To: George F Somsel <gfsomsel AT juno.com>
  • Cc: VadimCherny AT mail.ru, tladatsi AT charter.net, b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] children bear punishment for sins of parents - Examples
  • Date: Sat, 23 Apr 2005 18:00:45 +0100

On 22/04/2005 14:30, George F Somsel wrote:

...

In 2Sam21, David did not recognize that Gibeonites have a right to punish
Saul's children. Indeed, Gibeonites were not bound by Hebrew commandments.
David rather recognized the merits of their vengeance. Saul, of course,
committed idolatry by sparing the animals for sacrifice, thus imagining that
sacrifices, the material, are more important than obedience.

Vadim Cherny

_______________________________________________


Vadim,

I think you misinterpret the passage. It begins

WaY:HiY Rf(fB B.iYM"Y DfWiD . . . WaY:BaQ."$ D.fWiD )eT_P.:N"Y YHWH

and concludes
W:H"M.f HuM:TW. B.iYM"Y QfCiYR B.fRi)$ONiYM T:XiL.aT Q:CiYR #:(oRiYM

This would serve to connect it to the judgment of God as well as David's
recognition.


God told David that he had to do something about the situation. But that doesn't mean that what David did was correct or that he was carrying out God's judgment. For God didn't tell him to kill anyone. As the Gibeonites recognised (v.4), they had no right to demand the death of anyone, but David nevertheless responded to their request. And the Gibeonites had already suggested silver or gold as an alternative. Why didn't David pay them off in that way? Well, we can't understand the politics in detail, but it seems to me that David was at that time acting unrighteously, and using this as an excuse to get rid of his potential enemies. And there are rulers today, even in democratic countries, who conveniently hand over to less scrupulous foreigners their potential enemies, such as terrorist "suspects" against whom there is no evidence.

--
Peter Kirk
peter AT qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/



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