Freethought & Rationalism Archive

flintknapper · 04-21-2006, 12:02 PM

I remember reading in the "Age of Reason" about two particular passages in the Bible, but haven't been able to locate them again.

The first passage that Paine quotes ends in the middle of a sentence. The verse is simply left hanging. He then points out another verse, located in a *previous* chapter, that is the same as the incomplete verse, only this time it is complete. It's obvious from these examples that there was indeed a mix-up when the Bible was compiled.

My question, which chapters are they in and what are the verse numbers?

Toto · 04-21-2006, 12:42 PM

Age of Reason is online. Feel free to search.

Toto · 04-21-2006, 12:58 PM

Are you thinking of this?

Quote:

Last Two Verses of 2 Chronicles.

Ver. 22. Now in the first year of Cyrus, King of Persia, that the word of the Lord, spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah, might be accomplished, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying.

earth hath the Lord God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? the Lord his God be with him, and let him go up. ***

First Three Verses of Ezra.

Ver. 1. Now in the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, that the word of the Lord, by the mouth of Jeremiah, might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying.

2. Thus saith Cyrus, king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

3. Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel (he is the God) which is in Jerusalem.

*** The last verse in Chronicles is broken abruptly, and ends in the middle of the phrase with the word 'up' without signifying to what place. This abrupt break, and the appearance of the same verses in different books, show as I have already said, the disorder and ignorance in which the Bible has been put together, and that the compilers of it had no authority for what they were doing, nor we any authority for believing what they have done. [NOTE I observed, as I passed along, several broken and senseless passages in the Bible, without thinking them of consequence enough to be introduced in the body of the work; such as that, 1 Samuel xiii. 1, where it is said, "Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, Saul chose him three thousand men," etc. The first part of the verse, that Saul reigned one year has no sense, since it does not tell us what Saul did, nor say any thing of what happened at the end of that one year; and it is, besides, mere absurdity to say he reigned one year, when the very next phrase says he had reigned two for if he had reigned two, it was impossible not to have reigned one.

flintknapper · 04-21-2006, 10:14 PM

Thanks Toto. I believe that's it. Also nice to see "The Age of Reason" is online. I went to a library looking for it some years ago and had to find it through an inter-library loan. It came from the State of Illinois library in Springfield after several weeks and a couple of tries. At the time I felt like someone didn't want me to read that book.

The Other Michael · 04-21-2006, 10:34 PM

AoR seems easy to find in book stores around here.

cheers,
Michael

04-21-2006, 12:02 PM	#1
flintknapper Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: A Windswept Hill on the Prairie Peninsula Posts: 1,073	Q on Paine/"Age of Reason" I remember reading in the "Age of Reason" about two particular passages in the Bible, but haven't been able to locate them again. The first passage that Paine quotes ends in the middle of a sentence. The verse is simply left hanging. He then points out another verse, located in a previous chapter, that is the same as the incomplete verse, only this time it is complete. It's obvious from these examples that there was indeed a mix-up when the Bible was compiled. My question, which chapters are they in and what are the verse numbers?

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04-21-2006, 12:42 PM	#2
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	Age of Reason is online. Feel free to search.

04-21-2006, 10:14 PM	#4
flintknapper Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: A Windswept Hill on the Prairie Peninsula Posts: 1,073	Thanks Toto. I believe that's it. Also nice to see "The Age of Reason" is online. I went to a library looking for it some years ago and had to find it through an inter-library loan. It came from the State of Illinois library in Springfield after several weeks and a couple of tries. At the time I felt like someone didn't want me to read that book.

04-21-2006, 10:34 PM	#5
The Other Michael Honorary Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: In the fog of San Francisco Posts: 12,631	AoR seems easy to find in book stores around here. cheers, Michael

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