Exodus

[FaithT]

I’m reading Exodus for the first time and in The Plague on Livestock Scripture says that all the livestock of the Egyptians died. Later it says in The Plague of Boils that ”boils broke out on people and animals.” A short time later it says in The Plague of Hail, that the people should bring in their livestock, all in the field or they will die.
Isn’t that a contradiction? How can the animals get boils and die in a hailstorm after they’ve already died.

Help!

 

[tampasteve]

"All" in scripture (and even modern speak) does not always mean "all". Sometimes it really means "a lot", "many", or even just "some". If I said "all of my family went to dinner" that does not mean that all of my family - extended form all over the place came to dinner.

Earlier in the book it speaks of "all of the Egyptians" doing something, but it does not mean all of the Egyptians, just that many did something. We have to use context to understand if it really means ALL or just many/some.

 

[FaithT]

Thanks! I figured there was a reasonable answer and that I wasn’t the first person to catch this.

 

[summerville]

I’m reading Exodus for the first time and in The Plague on Livestock Scripture says that all the livestock of the Egyptians died. Later it says in The Plague of Boils that ”boils broke out on people and animals.” A short time later it says in The Plague of Hail, that the people should bring in their livestock, all in the field or they will die.
Isn’t that a contradiction? How can the animals get boils and die in a hailstorm after they’ve already died.

Help!

That's just how it is. The stories were amended and redacted many times over the centuries.. No surprise that there are contradictions.

 

[FaithT]

That's just how it is. The stories were amended and redacted many times over the centuries.. No surprise that there are contradictions.

I think your explanation goes against my religion. Am I right Steve? Also, did you say you’re other than LCMS? I know you’ve told me several times but I’m having a hard time keeping everybody’s religion straight.

 

[summerville]

I think your explanation goes against my religion. Am I right Steve? Also, did you say you’re other than LCMS? I know you’ve told me several times but I’m having a hard time keeping everybody’s religion straight.

Steve? What is LCMS?

 

[FaithT]

Steve? What is LCMS?

Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.

 

[FaithT]

Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.

I’m not calling you Summerville,Steve, I’m asking Tampasteve.

 

[tampasteve]

I think your explanation goes against my religion. Am I right Steve? Also, did you say you’re other than LCMS? I know you’ve told me several times but I’m having a hard time keeping everybody’s religion straight.

As to the explanation being against Lutheran thought....well, that is not an easy answer. It would be wholly compatible with ELCA Lutheran thought as we are not quite as ridged on the inerrant of scripture. That said, I am not sure if the LCMS takes a stance on scripture being changed over time or redacted. They do state:
"With Luther, we confess that “God’s Word cannot err” (LC, IV, 57). We therefore believe, teach and confess that since the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God, they contain no errors or contradictions but that they are in all their parts and words the infallible truth."
But remember, Luther was not a pope and the Lutheran churches do not have a Pope, we are more free to believe than some other churches. So, even if the LCMS made a statement about it, you as a believer are not bound to keep from questioning their stance.

 

[FaithT]

As to the explanation being against Lutheran thought....well, that is not an easy answer. It would be wholly compatible with ELCA Lutheran thought as we are not quite as ridged on the inerrant of scripture. That said, I am not sure if the LCMS takes a stance on scripture being changed over time or redacted. They do state:
"With Luther, we confess that “God’s Word cannot err” (LC, IV, 57). We therefore believe, teach and confess that since the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God, they contain no errors or contradictions but that they are in all their parts and words the infallible truth."
But remember, Luther was not a pope and the Lutheran churches do not have a Pope, we are more free to believe than some other churches. So, even if the LCMS made a statement about it, you as a believer are not bound to keep from questioning their stance.

I sent another email to my pastor. He must cringe every time he sees he’s got another email from me. I ask too many questions.

 

[Sketcher]

Exodus 9:6 - Commentary & Verse Meaning - Bible

 

[JIMINZ]

I’m reading Exodus for the first time and in The Plague on Livestock Scripture says that all the livestock of the Egyptians died. Later it says in The Plague of Boils that ”boils broke out on people and animals.” A short time later it says in The Plague of Hail, that the people should bring in their livestock, all in the field or they will die.
Isn’t that a contradiction? How can the animals get boils and die in a hailstorm after they’ve already died.

Help!

Never heard of Sheep, and Goats?

 

[JIMINZ]

That's just how it is. The stories were amended and redacted many times over the centuries.. No surprise that there are contradictions.

If that is the way you read the Bible then, none of it is reliable, and it can't be inerrant.

 

[FaithT]

Exodus 9:6 - Commentary & Verse Meaning - Bible

Thanks! I didn’t read my footnotes until now. Mine says that probably all livestock were killed except those in shelters. I have the NIV Life Application Study Bible which has the approval of my pastor.

 

[summerville]

If that is the way you read the Bible then, none of it is reliable, and it can't be inerrant.

I don't think its inerrant. There wouldn't be so many contradictions, anachronisms and errors of geography.

 

[JIMINZ]

That's just how it is. The stories were amended and redacted many times over the centuries.. No surprise that there are contradictions.

That is just the point, if there are as many amended stories, redacted many times, and contradictions, the Bible becomes unreliable as truth, and inerrant, it can no longer be trusted to speak the truth.

When it says Jesus died for our sin, how do you know the story hasn't been redacted as well?

 

[St_Worm2]

Thanks! I didn’t read my footnotes until now. Mine says that probably all livestock were killed except those in shelters. I have the NIV Life Application Study Bible which has the approval of my pastor.

Hello Hope, it could also mean that animals from "all" of the different "kinds" of livestock that belonged to the Egyptians were killed (as @JIMINZ has already pointed out above .. see post #12), and/or that the deaths occurred among the flocks and herds who were living in the fields/not in shelters as your Study Bible's footnotes say.

Whatever the case may be, this cannot be a contradiction, and that for all kinds of reasons (not the least of which would be the fact that this is all taken from the same Chapter in the Exodus). For what it's worth, I have yet to find a true contradiction in the Bible (though our atheist friends, along with their father, of course, would have us believe otherwise).

God bless you!

--David

 

[summerville]

Hello Hope, it could also mean that animals from "all" of the different "kinds" of livestock that belonged to the Egyptians were killed (as @JIMINZ has already pointed out above .. see post #12), and/or that the deaths occurred among the flocks and herds who were living in the fields/not in shelters as your Study Bible's footnotes say.

Whatever the case may be, this cannot be a contradiction, and that for all kinds of reasons (not the least of which would be the fact that this is all taken from the same Chapter in the Exodus). For what it's worth, I have yet to find a true contradiction in the Bible (though our atheist friends, along with their father, of course, would have us believe otherwise).

God bless you!

--David

The weather is so mild in Egypt they haven't much use for shelters for their livestock.

 

[FaithT]

Hello Hope, it could also mean that animals from "all" of the different "kinds" of livestock that belonged to the Egyptians were killed (as @JIMINZ has already pointed out above .. see post #12), and/or that the deaths occurred among the flocks and herds who were living in the fields/not in shelters as your Study Bible's footnotes say.

Whatever the case may be, this cannot be a contradiction, and that for all kinds of reasons (not the least of which would be the fact that this is all taken from the same Chapter in the Exodus). For what it's worth, I have yet to find a true contradiction in the Bible (though our atheist friends, along with their father, of course, would have us believe otherwise).

God bless you!

--David

 

[FaithT]

I don’t know what Jiminz’s post 12 even meant