Is it possible that the Bible involves exaggeration? (and King Solomon)

[DNB]

So what do you think the actual numbers might be? 70 wives of royal birth and 30 concubines? 7 and 3?

I really don't know because I'm not familiar with the society, culture nor the population of that era, or locale at the time - I don't know what's feasible.

But I have just finished reading briefly about the inflated numbers in the Old Testament, and that there are authentic cases where zeros were added where not intended. Some are Scribal errors, amongst other reasons why certain numerical figures do not seem plausible.
Sorry that I can't remember the other reasons, but if you google for an explanation you should come across viable grounds to not consider the numbers fabricated or over-dramatized.

If the 700 and 300 aren't factual and accurate what about the genealogies in Genesis that YECs use to date the earth? Maybe they are totally inaccurate in a similar way that you say about the 700 and 300...
(See the contradictions in red and yellow here)

Genealogies of Genesis - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

One explanation that I heard is that the genealogies are not exhaustive, nor meant to be. Same with the lineage of Jesus in both Luke & Matthew - not every ancestor or father-son relationship is enumerated - just enough for the author to make their point - Christ traced back to both Abraham and Adam.

Sorry, this is not my area of expertise so I cannot offer a conclusive response either way. My research was satisfactory for myself because these issues were not deal-breakers for me - I expect there to be countless areas in the Bible, a book that spans 8,.000 years and three continents, that defy my understanding until I take the time to investigate further. But, again, for now, there is enough historical veracity and wisdom in both Testaments that, for me, a few anomalies do not undermine the Book's integrity in its entirety.

 

[DNB]

No one can pray for ‘anything they want’ and even vaguely expect to get it.

Jesus means ‘IN SINCERITY, IN JUSTIFICATION, IN PURELY HOLY NEED, IN TRUTH, IN GODLINESS… etc’

These things have no element of selfishness, no aspect of personal gain, no desire for persecuting another person or organisation, nothing unGodly..

What is left, what is then prayed for, are things that are unselfish and totally reverent prayers… these, Jesus says, will be given to you.

It’s obvious that most people will be praying for the previous category, which are totally wrong and will not be given in any godly way.

‘I pray for them, Mighty Father, that you keep them until the day of deliverance. And that in keeping in you many more will be brought to deliverance.’ (Sample prayer mixed with Jesus’ prayer. Such requests in prayers will be given’

Yes, I entirely agree ...if we can only get @dybmh to appreciate the point.

 

[DNB]

I ask what use it is to do this study
when you get idiotic results and you
dodge like a squirrel with a hawk in pursuit.

Me, not knowing the evidence re " flood"?

Talk about projection! All relevant evidence is
against flood. And 6 day poof.

IF you are not grossly ignorant of this, then it's
something worse, total intellectual dishonesty.

Of what use are practices that lead you
there?

I believe that God created the earth in a mature state - trees, mountain ranges, fissures, the solar and planetary system, were all in place at the inception of the day that they were created. Oceans were populated not with eggs, but will full grown fish and sea life, as were the skies with birds, the earth with grass and insects, and the plantation with leaves and fruit. Adam was not born as a fetus, but as a fully developed human.

And it is from these pre-aged entities, that the birth, development and micro evolution processes took place.
In my opinion.

 

[DNB]

It may be worse than you thought.

Someone read into my posts that I'm
rather a nice person???

Yes, that was quite the stretch - I hesitated, but left it for the sake of brevity instead of accuracy.

 

[DNB]

If you think that was my level. Your comprehension is worse than I thought. Apologies I'll leave you to your wall shadows.

...you're not wearing a costume, are you???
The absolute irony - or oblivion???

 

[The Hammer]

...you're not wearing a costume, are you???
The absolute irony - or oblivion???

You're not a camel are you? They spit when they talk.

 

[excreationist]

I really don't know because I'm not familiar with the society, culture nor the population of that era, or locale at the time - I don't know what's feasible.

I don't understand why you can't believe that King Solomon was married to 1000 women. Apparently he got 20 tons of gold a year - which is worth about $1 billion....

 

[Audie]

You're very difficult - Jesus is allowed to use figures-of-speech, allegory, hyperbole, parables or metaphors in his explanation of the Kingdom of God - it doesn't make the entirety of the Gospel a fable - for cryin' out loud!

As if, fer cryin, anyone said it did.

You can always win if there's nobody on the
other side.

 

[Audie]

I believe that God created the earth in a mature state - trees, mountain ranges, fissures, the solar and planetary system, were all in place at the inception of the day that they were created. Oceans were populated not with eggs, but will full grown fish and sea life, as were the skies with birds, the earth with grass and insects, and the plantation with leaves and fruit. Adam was not born as a fetus, but as a fully developed human.

And it is from these pre-aged entities, that the birth, development and micro evolution processes took place.
In my opinion.

I see. And that's your personally chosen opinion although
every last relevant data point on planet earth
is contrary to that.

You find virtue in clinging to a belief which -assumjng
there is a Creator - is disproved in vast and
comprehensive detail by his creation?

 

[Audie]

Yes, that was quite the stretch - I hesitated, but left it for the sake of brevity instead of accuracy.

Yes, we've noted already your disregard for accuracy.

 

[DNB]

You're not a camel are you? They spit when they talk.

Like seriously, what's with the druid outfit - can't wait for halloween?

 

[DNB]

As if, fer cryin, anyone said it did.

You can always win if there's nobody on the
other side.

Read his flippin' post, girlfriend - he outright stated that one exaggeration renders the entire message dubious.
...and, yes, I do feel like I'm winning due to the fact that there appears to be no competition coming from the other side, as if there were nobody there.

 

[DNB]

I see. And that's your personally chosen opinion although
every last relevant data point on planet earth
is contrary to that.

You find virtue in clinging to a belief which -assumjng
there is a Creator - is disproved in vast and
comprehensive detail by his creation?

Audie, I'm sorry, if your only point of data reference comes from men who think that we came from the apes, then all I can say is that there appears to be a large demographic of people with monkey brains - self admittedly so.

The utter oblivion of the atheist: they pride themselves in their ability to observe, and assert that what cannot be quantified cannot be affirmed to exist. And yet they are the blindest fools on the planet - every iota of creation alludes to the Supreme Creator - nothing in this universe can be explained without the predicate of divine intervention. Every single human on this planet is endowed with God's spirit (for better, or for worse), and this is as axiomatic as the fact that every other creature on the earth does not have the same spiritual dimension as part of their ontology.

What compels a human to subscribe to a religion, build a church or synagogue, define a liturgy, write extensively on morals and love, and good and evil? This propensity was not derived from stardust and protoplasm, obviously.
You atheists take for granted your moral inclination, ascribing its tendency simply to pragmatism - which utterly defies the principle of altruism (no selfish motive or reciprocation). And your absolutely ludicrous comprehension becomes very apparent when you start to claim that animals are either moral or religious.

 

[DNB]

Yes, we've noted already your disregard for accuracy.

...that would depend on the caliber of the person that I'm speaking with, whether I choose to take the time to be precise, or not.
Besides, how would you know the difference - you think that your ancestors were apes.

 

[The Hammer]

Like seriously, what's with the druid outfit - can't wait for halloween?

Off topic here. This is my thread about it from yesterday. Check it out friend.

Cloak No Dagger

(sing-songy / tune of Andy Williams It's A Wonderful Time) "It's the moist wonderful time of the year. With the raindrops returning And treetops relinquishing all of their leaves!!!" Time to break my cloak back out. There's a nip in the air. Nevermind the cat hair. It's seems to be...

www.religiousforums.com

 

[Audie]

Audie, I'm sorry, if your only point of data reference comes from men who think that we came from the apes, then all I can say is that there appears to be a large demographic of people with monkey brains - self admittedly so.

The utter oblivion of the atheist: they pride themselves in their ability to observe, and assert that what cannot be quantified cannot be affirmed to exist. And yet they are the blindest fools on the planet - every iota of creation alludes to the Supreme Creator - nothing in this universe can be explained without the predicate of divine intervention. Every single human on this planet is endowed with God's spirit (for better, or for worse), and this is as axiomatic as the fact that every other creature on the earth does not have the same spiritual dimension as part of their ontology.

What compels a human to subscribe to a religion, build a church or synagogue, define a liturgy, write extensively on morals and love, and good and evil? This propensity was not derived from stardust and protoplasm, obviously.
You atheists take for granted your moral inclination, ascribing its tendency simply to pragmatism - which utterly defies the principle of altruism (no selfish motive or reciprocation). And your absolutely ludicrous comprehension becomes very apparent when you start to claim that animals are either moral or religious.

I did ask you of what use is all your claimed erudition
if I leads you to such idiocy as flood belief.

You never have actually answered.
But I see I underestimated how extensive the damage is.

Of course its well established thar the fundamentalists
are as a whole the least educated among Christians.
So it's hardly a surprise.

The larger proportion at least in America don't have any
Issues such as those you rather weirdly concoct,
with basic understanding and acceptance of science and reason.

The layers of compounded ignorance, bigotry, and fallacy
in your post are far beyond my patience to pointlessly
sort out.

So never mind. Where I thought a bit of light hearted
banter and possible exchange of views was to be had,
I see I've provoked a deeply emotive spewing of bile
toward all who aren't dug into the hole you're in.

So it goes. Bye

 

[Soapy]

I don't understand why you can't believe that King Solomon was married to 1000 women. Apparently he got 20 tons of gold a year - which is worth about $1 billion....

Apart from one true wife all the rest were ‘Political Wives’. Throughout the ages (until quite recently, in fact!) Kings would ‘Marry’ the daughter of another King or great nobleman for political purposes, to keep the peace or to heap up greater wealth - LOVE was hardly the issue!!! Many times the king in focus would never even sleep with his ‘Bride’ even once!!! And, in any case, the wives were given their own place of residence, theirs to manage with their children if the king laid with them. The rest were kept in Concubines with a eunuch in charge to make sure no other man could lay with them.
It would be pretty clear that a few over intrepid women sneaked out fur illicit affairs but they were seriously risking their lives and that of the man they tangled with… Lesbianism was not a crime!!!

 

[Bthoth]

I believe in a kind of God but also believe that the Bible could include exaggeration....
e.g.
About King Solomon:
1 Kings 11:3

I mean I don't understand how there could be that many women of "royal birth".

1 Kings 3:4 - I think this could be historical:

But not sure about this: (144,000 sacrifices)
1 Kings 8:63 / 2 Chronicles 7:5

I think the following could be historical but the number is interesting:
1 Kings 10:14 / 2 Chronicles 9:13

First embellishment to discount: God doing any of it.

Mankind created the religions and all the religious stories.

heck mankind created the gods. A whole bunch of them.

 

[dybmh]

You're very difficult - Jesus is allowed to use figures-of-speech, allegory, hyperbole, parables or metaphors in his explanation of the Kingdom of God - it doesn't make the entirety of the Gospel a fable - for cryin' out loud!

I didn't say it made the entirety a fable. I said that all of it could be hyperbole from start to finish. You objected due to the OP asking about another exaggeration which you are saying puts the whole book in question. I am saying, rightfully, that exaggerating about the promises of moving mountains, receiving anything in prayer, cursing fig trees, making more and better miracles than Jesus himself, does, indeed, put the entire book into question. QUESTION. Q-U-E-S-T-I-O-N.

The key word above is "promise". That's what it is when a religious Jewish person says "Amen, Amen". Christian's don't know this because they do not study the Hebrew bible the way we do. When I read the book of John that sticks out like a sour thumb. If those statements beginning with "Truly Truly" ( Amen, Amen in greek ) are not literally true, that is the violation of an promise made with "heaven and earth" as witness. Amen,Amen is swearing to the LORD and all its host. That's why I mentioned it earlier.

 

[dybmh]

Yes, I entirely agree ...if we can only get @dybmh to appreciate the point.

I have @Soapy on ignore. I do not trust their integrity. What ever point you would like to make, please make it.