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Question 50: Why was YHVH angry with Balaam?

Answer:

You need to read the entire story in Numbers 22 to get a complete idea of the situation. Balaam was in the first instance forbidden to go. That answer should have been sufficient for Balaam, but when the princes came with alluring offers of gifts and office and honours, he bade them remain to see whether there might be any fresh instructions. He obviously hoped that permission would be given. He showed his ignorance of YHVH's ways in supposing that Barak's gifts and promises could make any difference to YHVH's decision. His answers to the men also showed that he would like to comply if YHVH would let him. Probably too, YHVH read in his mind an intention to pronounce the curse for which Barak was willing to pay. Hence the warning by the way, which would brace up his wavering resolution to utter the Word of Elohiym even if it was disagreeable to Barak.

Question 49: What was the cause of the Babylonian captivity?

Answer:

The political cause of the captivity was the repeated revolt of Judah against the power of Babylon. Relying on the help of Egypt, the king broke his promise of fidelity and refused to pay the tribute he had promised to pay. The prophet Jeremiah uttered many warnings against this suicidal course and still more against the idolatry and accompanying immorality which prevailed. He assured the nation that, beset as Judah was by dangers from her powerful neighbours, she would be safe, if only she would be faithful to YHVH. But the king and people were continually forsaking Him and turning to evil courses, until at last YHVH gave them up to their enemies. This was the spiritual cause of the captivity. The neglect of the Sabbatical years, mentioned 2 Chronicles 36:21, was only one of many provocations. The writer mentions it incidentally, to show that what the people would not do voluntarily, was done when they were carried away and the land rested seventy years.

Question 48: What language was spoken at Babel?

Answer:

The tower of Babel is always an interesting subject for discussion. Philologists are divided concerning the language spoken before the "Confusion of Tongues" at Babel. What little we know of it is learned at second-hand from the testimonies of classical authorities. The Babylonians called the locality of Babel "Barsip" (the Tower of Tongues). A French expedition to Mesopotamia found a clay cake or tablet, which showed that the language at some indefinitely remote period was written in the form of signs and hieroglyphics; but even this was probably long after the dispersion at Babel. What universal language was spoken by prehistoric man thousands of years ago will probably never be definitely known. It may have been Babylonian or Arabic in character, but this is mere conjecture. Supplementary to the Bible record, there are many traditions preserved concerning the Tower and its fate and these mostly claim for it a Babylonian origin, holding that Babylonia was the cradle of the human race. The site of the tower, according to modern opinion, is identified as Birs Nimrud, a huge mound covering gigantic ruins and situated at Felujiah in Mesopotamia; but this identification is by no means certain.

Questions 47: Where was the first altar built?

Answer:

In Genesis 8:20 we find the first reference to an altar, namely that one on which Noah offered his sacrifice to YHVH for deliverance from the danger of the Flood. Armenian tradition says it was built on Mount Ararat.

Frequently asked questions and answers:

Question 46: Who were the Amorites?

Answer:

They were one of the seven nations of Canaan and were governed by many independent kings (Joshua 5:1; Joshua 9:10). They originally inhabited a mountain district in the south (Numbers 13:29), but later acquired an extensive tract from Moab, east of Jordan (Numbers 21:26, 30). They had many strong cities (Numbers 32:17, 33). They were profane, wicked and idolatrous (Genesis 15:16; Joshua 24:15). They interfered with Israel (Numbers 21:21) at times, again were peaceful, but were finally brought into bondage by Solomon (1 Kings 9:20-21).

Question 45: Who were called “the children of Lot”?

Answer:

The Ammonites were so called (Deuteronomy 2:19). They were a cruel, covetous, proud, reproachful, vindictive, superstitious and idolatrous nation (see Amos 1:13; Zephaniah 2:10; Ezekiel 25:3, 6; Judges 10:6; Jeremiah 27:3). Their chief city was Rabbah (2 Samuel 12:26-27), where they were governed by hereditary kings (2 Samuel 2:20-21). They had various encounters with Israel. With the Philistines they oppressed Israel for eighteen years (Judges 10:6-9). Saul succeeded against them as did David and Joab overcame them (1 Samuel 11:11; 2 Samuel 10:7-14). Solomon intermarried with them and introduced their idols into Israel (1 Kings 11:1-5).

Question 44: What was the fate of Amalek?

Answer:

The Amalekites were a wicked, oppressive, war-like and cruel people. They were powerful and influential and possessed cities in the south of Canaan. (See 1 Samuel 15:18; Judges 10:12; Numbers 24:7.) They were the first to oppose Israel (Exodus 17:8); Saul overcame them (1 Samuel 14:48); David invaded their land (1 Samuel 30:1-2) and what was left of them was completely destroyed during the reign of Hezekiah (1 Chronicles 4:41-43).

Question 43: What is the meaning of “Selah”?

Answer:

The word "Selah," which occurs a number of times in the Psalms, was a musical or liturgical sign, whose meaning is unknown. Some regard it as a pause in the music, to mark a transition in the theme or composition. It seems to have no grammatical connection with the sentence after which it appears and has therefore nothing to do with the meaning of the passage. It was a note to the singers of the psalm or to those who were accompanying the singing with instruments.

Question 42: Was Sarai a relative of Abraham?

Answer:

In Genesis 20:12 Abraham speaks of Sarai as his half-sister, the daughter of the same father, but not the same mother. The common Jewish tradition referred to by Josephus (Antiquities 1, 6, 6) and also by Jerome, is that Sarai was identical with Iscah (see Genesis 11:29), daughter of Haran and sister of Lot, who is called Abraham's "brother."