Does this bibical passage justify abortion?

Question

Eccesiastes 11:5 (Amplified Bible Version)
"As you know not what is the way of the wind, or how the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a pregnant woman, even so you know not the work of God, Who does all"
Could this be interpreted to mean that a fetus does not acquire a "spirit" or soul at conception, but becomes a living human later in pregnancy after bone tissue has started to form? This would infer that a very young fetus is not alive and abortion would not breach the Commandment "Thou shall not murder"
This is a genuine query.I am not trying to offend or to be a wise guy by asking this.
I should also point out that other versions of the Bible give a different translation, often making seperate reference to the wind and how a fetus forms rather than to acquiring a spirit.
The older versions however that I remember, talk about "breathing life into the bones in the womb". I would be interested to hear a bibical scholars interpretation of how this passage reads in the origi

Answer 1

A second century Aramaic translation says "Just as you don't know how a fetus gets life, so to you don't know how G-d works". The 11th century commentator who is recognized as the greatest of the (Jewish) commentators says "Just as you don't understand the wind, or the formation of the fetus, you don't understand G-d" Hope this helps!

Answer 2

Not sure about your question, or what I really think about the topic, except that it doesn't seem to say "so it's ok to cut it into pieces and vacuum it out before this point". I only want to suggest that when basing your opinions on the Bible, or looking for answers, remember that the Bible was translated from a language that is hard to translate into English. In some versions, it is translated into another language(s) first, and in some, the translation isn't correct in the context, for instance, to us, the N word has a much more serious meaning at times, hateful, or even friendly for some in the appropriate situation. However, thousands of years away, by people not understanding our culture and not really knowledgeable about our history, it might only have the dictionary meaning, and that's far from it's meaning in the US today. See? The other problem is that most translations of the Bible have been "edited for correctness" depending on the translators' point of view as to what is right or wrong or their religion's idea of what should be inferred. Many things affect translation of such an old and cryptic work. In essence, we can make a pretty good guess at what might have been meant by most of the Bible, but (as it says in the Bible) "no man can comprehend the mind of God".... I personally believe if we truly open our minds and ask for His guidance, He will let us know what is right and wrong. But that's me. Good question, thanks, -Rick

Answer 3

No this bible passage does not justify abortion, nor does it say that a fetus does not have a spirit or a soul at conception.

What this passage does say that just like we do not know how the wind blows and how a fetus gets its life (or spirit or soul) in his mothers womb, just like that we do not know God's work. The God Who does all (like giving the life to a fetus)

Hope this helps

Answer 4

I would have to study the passage in the original and in its historical and literary context to give a firm answer, but just from reading what you wrote, it's very comparable to the passages from the end of Job where God explains why humans need to trust His ways, rather than a treatise on the soul.

And your question assumes that the presence of a soul is why folks who believe in the Bible are against abortion. I'm sure many do take that position, but many (even Bible-believers such as myself) are against abortion for more non-religious reasons. So for those folks, even if a passage of scripture did say, "a human receives a soul at the third month," they would still be against abortion. Also, for those for whom the presence of a soul is important, the passage doesn't say anything about timing so this would also not justify abortion for those who believe in the Bible and the soul as a basis for being against abortion.

Answer 5

First of all, A fetus in a woman is God's law of reproduction. This verse does not justify abortions. Too many people today think that a fetus is not true life, It is true that it does not yet have the breathe of life in it, but yet we have to look at where is this fetus getting it's oxygen from, it is getting it from it's mother. Many today try to said well it is Not a life form yet, Let me ask you this then, If it does not have life within that fetus, why not leave it alone, if it has no life then it will not grow, But if you leave it alone, see what happens. Think about this, if that fetus is NOT a type of life, & if you leave it alone saying well this is not a life, see what happens after 9 months.

Answer 6

I think you are correct. If we don't know how God works, but we know that one is not alive until the spirit or soul is in us, then that passage clearly states that a baby is not alive until after the bones are formed. If God knew us before we are born, that clearly means that He knew our souls, before. Obviously not our bodies.

Most people that try to pinpoint life itself, are leaning to the understanding of scientists. The bible also says lean not to thine own understanding.

They seem to think that life begins with the heartbeat. The heart can beat without a soul there. Science can even keep a heart beating. That doesn't mean a person is alive. Otherwise, we wouldn't have the term braindead.

Answer 7

Jeremiah 1:5 Should answer your question....."Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee;and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet of all nations. God was speaking to Jeremiah, but if he knew Jeremiah before he was ever formed in the belly, so that is something to think about, abortion is still murder, God knows every child that is conceived, why don't people that believe in abortion just wait until the child is two years old then abort it? And you need to get a real Bible.
What would the abortionist do if they passed a law anyone that wants an abortion must also be aborted themselves? You want to kill your baby so we are going to kill you too. There would be a rapid decline in abortions,

Answer 8

The Amplified Bible is not, in my opinion, a reliable translation. You would do better to stick to a word-for-word, literal translation from the original languages, such as the King James Version or the New American Standard.

For Biblical perspectives on abortion, see:

http://www.epm.org/articles/aborbibl.html
http://www.christiananswers.net/q-aig/aig-bibleandabortion.html
http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-abortioninthebible.html
http://www.crusadeforlife.org/prolife_scriptures.htm

For more information on all aspects of abortion, see http://Abort73.com

Answer 9

what does the bible have to do with a decision like that?
are so many people really that brainwashed.?

though shall not kill! ha war war war
death penalties
we stll hunt for sport
how many mice or insects have you killed this year because they were an inconvenience.
or the entire flocks of geese for migrating to a park
were we don't want to step in bird poop?
sometimes an abortion is necessary. sometimes
not because a baby is an inconvenience like buying condoms was an inconvenience
but what does the bible have to do with anything anyway.other then entertainment of the old world order.
this is why you are confused because the bible is a lot of conflict
and hypocrisy now you are stuck .......

Answer 10

No, it doesn't justify abortion. It says u don't know how the spirit enters the body. So u are already existing even b4 the physical body is formed. Killing the body is preventing the person from manifesting as flesh.