BIBLE CONTRADICTIONS: OLD TESTAMENT

Here are a few additional contradictions found on GhanaNet that deal with OT passages.

Man's life is only to be 120 years. (Genesis 6:3)

Man's life is only seventy years. (Psalm 90:10)

One correction to the above before beginning: Psalm 90:10 adds “or perhaps 80.” It may not seem like such a big deal, but at my age it is. One approach I have read is that 120 years represents the extreme limit to a person's age while 70-80 is the more usual limit. However, here are the two possible explanations that are more usually offered.

Wenham: “It may be, however, that the author thought of the 120 years as a maximum life-span that was only gradually implemented.” He notes that after the time of Jacob, only Aaron exceeds 120 years (Numbers 33:39) and that is only by three years.

Hamilton starts out by stating that “My spirit shall not remain in mankind forever” may refer to the life spirit. However, the Hebrew is difficult to interpret and could also be translated “my spirit shall not judge, be humiliated, or answer for man forever. Therefore, the 120 years more logically refers to the time before God will send the flood.

Allen Ross agrees with this contention (as do other commentators) and says, “The expositor will have to decide whether the number signifies the new age limit for people or whether it specifies the time left for the race before the flood. The second view is far easier to defend in view of the continued longevity in people (at least past 120 years) after this time.

There is to be the fear of man on every beast. (Genesis 9:2)

Fear of man is not on the lion. (Proverbs 30:30)

Concerning the Genesis passage, the language “every” should no more be taken as an all-encompassing literal truth than the comment in the following verse that “every moving thing that lives shall be food for you.”

Turning to Proverbs, here we are on even surer hermeneutical ground in stating that this verse expresses a general truth, but not one that admits of no exceptions. However, even if one does choose to take it as strictly literal, blanket statement, keep the following in mind: (1) the critic again has purposely distorted the actual words of the passage to introduce the word “fear,” which is not present, (2) the purpose of verses 29-31 is to give examples of animals or people who possess a stately gait, not those who show lack of fear, (3) verse 30 is written in poetic parallelism so that the second line is explained by the first; i.e., the lion does not turn back before any other wild beast (this is confirmed by the translations which use the phrase “before nothing” or “before any” instead of “before any man” or “before anyone.”), and (4) although the lion may be the apex predator in the wild, even a single man with a spear can take him down. For that reason, lions learn to become wary of humans once they have been exposed to them.

Moses was a meek man. (Numbers 12:3)

Moses was a very cruel man. (Numbers 31:15,17)

The word “meek” in Numbers 12:3 is perhaps not the best translation today because of its rather negative implications. Better English renderings are “humble” (Living Bible) or even “devout” (RSV alternative possibility). This last translation conveys the meaning that Moses was humble before God. If so, then it says nothing regarding Moses' relations with other people.

Dumbrell takes another tack to explaining Numbers 12:3 – “The reference must be taken closely together with the remark that precedes, 'And the LORD heard this' (i.e., the complaint against Moses' leadership leveled by Miriam and Aaron, 12:2). Moses was prepared to submit to this unprovoked and hurtful attack by leaving his vindication to God. This selfless, trustful, nonassertive attitude to life is thus characteristic of the virtue.”

Turning next to Numbers 31:15,17 we certainly seem to see an entirely different side to Moses. He demands that the married Midianite women be executed. The background, however, is that God had commanded Moses to carry out a war of destruction against Midian to carry out His vengeance (vv. 1-3). But when the people brought back Midianite women as part of the booty, Moses explained that it was these women who had made the Israelites act treacherously against the LORD.” (v. 16) Thus, in both instances, Moses was not exhibiting his “cruel” nature; he was merely humbling himself to God's express will.