Judges 3:31 says Shamgar killed 600 Philistines with an oxgoad, a farmer’s prod. The argument finds the feat too fantastic to take at face value.
After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed 600 of the Philistines with an oxgoad, and he also saved Israel.
Judges 3:31
Source: see Credits and references (no. 3, p. 5).
In Judges 15:15-16 Samson strikes down a thousand men with the jawbone of a donkey. It is set beside the previous item as another tale of one man defeating an army with an improvised weapon.
And he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, and put out his hand and took it, and with it he struck 1,000 men. And Samson said, “With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps upon heaps, with the jawbone of a donkey have I struck down a thousand men.”
Judges 15:15-16
Source: see Credits and references (no. 3, p. 5).
Revelation 13:1-2 describes a beast with seven heads and ten horns that is like a leopard, with feet like a bear’s and a mouth like a lion’s. The argument holds this up as a monstrous picture it finds hard to square with a sober revelation. (The New Testament text is not yet on this site.)
Source: see Credits and references (no. 3, p. 5).
In 2 Kings 18:27, repeated in Isaiah 36:12, the Assyrian field commander warns that the men on the wall will eat their own dung and drink their own urine. The complaint is that such crude language appears in a book presented as a holy revelation, though it is the enemy’s threat that is quoted.
But the Rabshakeh said to them, “Has my master sent me to speak these words to your master and to you, and not to the men sitting on the wall, who are doomed with you to eat their own dung and to drink their own urine?”
2 Kings 18:27
Source: see Credits and references (no. 3, p. 5).
Malachi 2:3 has God threaten to spread dung on the priests’ faces. It is listed for its coarse imagery.
Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it.
Malachi 2:3
Source: see Credits and references (no. 3, p. 5).
Ezekiel 4:12-15 first tells the prophet to bake his bread over human dung, then, when he protests that he has never been defiled, allows cow dung instead. The argument counts the command itself as unfitting for a divine instruction.
And you shall eat it as a barley cake, baking it in their sight on human dung.” And the LORD said, “Thus shall the people of Israel eat their bread unclean, among the nations where I will drive them.” Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I have never defiled myself. From my youth up till now I have never eaten what died of itself or was torn by beasts, nor has tainted meat come into my mouth.” Then he said to me, “See, I assign to you cow’s dung instead of human dung, on which you may prepare your bread.”
Ezekiel 4:12-15
Source: see Credits and references (no. 3, p. 5).
Judges 16:1 says Samson went to Gaza, saw a prostitute and went in to her. The point is that a judge of Israel is shown in this light with no word of rebuke at that spot.
Samson went to Gaza, and there he saw a prostitute, and he went in to her.
Judges 16:1
Source: see Credits and references (no. 3, p. 5).
In Ruth 3:4-15 Ruth, on her mother-in-law’s advice, goes at night to the threshing floor and lies down at Boaz’s feet. The argument reads the scene as improper and cites it among the passages it finds unsuitable for family reading.
And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down. At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet!
Ruth 3:7-8
Source: see Credits and references (no. 3, p. 5).
1 Kings 1:1-4 tells how the aged David could not keep warm, so a beautiful young woman, Abishag, was found to lie beside him and attend him. The argument lists it as David in bed with a young virgin. Note that the same passage says the king “knew her not”. (The reference given in the printed source, 1 Kings 11:1,3, is a passage about Solomon, so it has been corrected here.)
Now King David was old and advanced in years. And although they covered him with clothes, he could not get warm. Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young woman be sought for my lord the king, and let her wait on the king and be in his service. Let her lie in your arms, that my lord the king may be warm.” So they sought for a beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. The young woman was very beautiful, and she was of service to the king and attended to him, but the king knew her not.
1 Kings 1:1-4
Source: see Credits and references (no. 3, p. 5).
The first of a list of passages the argument calls absurd: a donkey speaks to Balaam, Numbers 22:27-28. The point is that a story of an animal holding a conversation with a man is hard to accept as sober history.
When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam. And Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff. Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”
Numbers 22:27-28
Source: see Credits and references (no. 3, p. 5).