why is it almost normal for these things to happen in the bible?

Question

husband sleeps with slave
daughters forcing their dad to have sex with them
selling younger brother to slavery
stoning to death
stealing birthright
mother helping steal birthright
offering your daughters to be raped

lots more i might not know....
did i forget anything?

Answer 1

You missed my favorite, Genesis 38, where a woman has a child by her father-in-law.

Someone commented that your examples were before the law: There is a passage similar to the "offering your daughters to be raped" that occurred after the giving of the law.

Judges 19:22-30
22 Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him. 23 And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, Nay, my brethren, nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not this folly. 24 Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile F122 a thing. 25 But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let her go.

It is precisely these passages in the Bible--the ones that do not conform to modern common sense--that make reading the Bible such a fascinating experience.

Answer 2

1) Men in those days had many wives and concubines; it was not a monogamous society. Part of the duty of female slaves was to be available for the sexual needs of their master as well as any other needs.
2) Children were an insurance policy for women who had no other means of support. Remember, this was a patrimonial society. Women who were not married and/or had no children had no income, no home, and no standing in society. Property was passed down through male heirs. Continuing the family line, even through incest, was preferable to allowing it to die out.
3) This didn't just happen in the Bible, hon. It happens now, in Asia and Africa and other parts of the world, where families who can't afford to feed all of their children sell them to work as sex slaves, indentured, servants, or other undesirable existences.
4) Stoning and other forms of harsh punishment were common in the ancient world. They hadn't invented lethal injection yet - they used what they had. Rocks, mostly.
5) See #2 - no birthright, no inheritance - no inheritance, no land, no home, no income.
6) See #1 - multiple wives = multiple children with different mothers. If Mom #1 thinks her child should receive the inhertance, and Mom #2 wants it for her child as well, guess what's gonna happen.
7) See #2 again - children + income. Even illegitimate children have some claim in a society where men were obligated to take care of all of their children, even the bastards.

It wasn't a nice clean orderly place with hot running water - it was a tribal society that was invaded and occupied over and over again by different aggressors. People did what they had to in order to survive.

Answer 3

'Almost normal'? Those are incidents that do pop up. Says more about human beings than it does about the Bible itself, though. First the book's not realistic enough, then it's too dark and dirty. Anyway, without the New Testament (which doesn't include anything from that compendium of naughtiness) the 'Bible' wouldn't exist and nobody would care about the Torah. Xept for Jews o'course (and the odd Muslim).

Answer 4

You have only touched the surface of the depravity. Remember, God shows mankind for what they are. Warts and all.

"husband sleeps with slave."
This was allowed if wife was barren. But it was not necessary if God promised you a child.

"daughters forcing their dad to have sex with them"
The daughters of Lot thought that the entire world was destroyed (it was not). To sleep with "daddy" was OK in Sodom. Note that both lineages from this act grew to be enemies of Israel and were wiped out by God.

"selling younger brother to slavery
This was a type of rejection of the Messiah who also was to be betrayed for the price of a slave.

"stoning to death"
This was the method of capitol punishment. Yes.

"stealing birthright"
Yes, and this turned on Jacob who was later ripped of by Laban.

"mother helping steal birthright"
She lost her beloved son in the process. Jacob had to flee away.

"offering your daughters to be raped"
Heinous, right? That is the corruption that had seeped in to Lot while living in Sodom. Sin is contageous, no matter how careful you are. This is also very middle eastern. Your highest task is to protect your guests. Women (until Christ came) were treated very lowly.

Answer 5

Besides all the other wonderful answers you got to your question, there is also the idea that God shows how even the worst of people can be used by Him. Moses was a fugitive who had murdered an Egyptian but God still used him. The Apostle Paul was a Jew murderer but God used him. We have these "stories" to show us that we have no reason to fear for our salvation when we trust in Jesus Christ to save us from hell.

Answer 6

tell me you havent slept with anyone other than your mate, how could dad be forced by his daughter she cant beat him up/im not sure they had shotguns in those days,stealing this day in time is a norm isnt it even with moms help tell me that alot of parents dont sell their children sad to say but all these things happen this day in time you just dont recognize them

Answer 7

Sure did! There are many more examples of why Jesus had to come to save the world. We (Man) are so sinful we would all go extinct if not for Christ's sacrifice on our behalf.

Answer 8

Because the bible, like any other comic book, is a work of pure fiction. As with any work of fiction, it has to have an interesting story line, and what's more interesting than sex and violence?

Answer 9

the bible presents its heroes truthfully with all of their faults and weaknesses. it does not glorify men as other religions do about their heroes. when you read the bible, you realize that the people it speaks of have problems and do wrong just as we do. what made them great was that they trusted in God.

Answer 10

Because all of these people were human just like you and me and humans sin and make mistakes.