Biblical Hebrew Forum

[George F Somsel <gfsomsel AT juno.com>]

I realized about as soon as I had sent this message that I had written
"kings of Israel" when I meant "kings of Judah."  Please understand the
latter. 

george
gfsomsel
___________

On Tue, 30 Aug 2005 22:01:35 -0400 George F Somsel <gfsomsel AT juno.com>
writes:
> On Wed, 31 Aug 2005 00:51:09 +0000 "Kevin Graham" 
> <kevlds AT hotmail.com> writes:
> > Thanks Harold. The last sentence in the verse just seems to be 
> > self-contradictory. It says the firstborn males of every womb was 
> to 
> > be 
> > "sacrificed" with the firstborn animals (suggesting sacrificed in 
> 
> > the same 
> > manner) and then in the same breath it says the firstborn were 
> > "redeemed."
> > 
> > It is hard to figure out if child sacrifice was actually condoned 
> or 
> > 
> > commanded, originally. I know it was later stated (unambiguously) 
> 
> > that the 
> > Levites were to take the place of firstborn sacrifices.
> _____________
> 
> It seems to me that the story of Abraham's "sacrifice" of Isaac is 
> related to the question of the sacrifice/redemption of the 
> first-born. It might even be a reaction to and condemnation of the 
> practices of the kings of Israel which explains its placement at 
> Moraiah and the identification of Moriah with Jerusalem.
> 
> george
> gfsomsel
>