What's a book or verse in the bible that you found particularly jarring?

[Mr. Pedantic]

Having just finished the Old Testament for the first time in quite a number of years, I was shocked to say the least, regarding certain confusing and violent acts I found in the text, in particular Exodus 32.

I'm referring to Moses finding the people of Levi naked, partying with an enemy tribe with a golden calf. Moses, not wont to put up with such idolatry, orders the slaughter of the entire tribe by the people of Levi. And the Levites do just that and kill "about three thousand men" for the affront of dancing around a metal cow. Moses was certainly more violent then I remember him in Sunday School.

What's a book or verse in the bible that you found particularly jarring?

[ladderandbucket]

I was shocked by the ending of Psalm 137.

Everybody knows how it begins:

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.

It has kind of a violent ending:

O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.


:eek2:

I admit to having read large parts of the Bible on autopilot. I keep it in the kitchen and tend to read a few pages in idle moments whilst preparing food. Every now and then I am startled from my semi-attentive reading by something astonishing. I recall there are numerous instances of polytheism and sorcery and some serious confusion regarding the existence of an afterlife.
Ezekiel 27 is a passage which has stayed in my mind. I beg you to look it up. It's not controversial or salacious but gives a magical description of the commercial world of that time. I know it is a metaphor for the decadence of Tyre and that we shouldn't trust the Bible as a history book but surely it can give us some kind of insight into the world of the ancient Near East?

[byquist]

Not jarring, but "The first shall be last and the last shall be first" is a complex proposition.

[mona amon]

The Book of Judges! :eek::yikes:

[Mr. Pedantic]

Yes, human sacrifice is quite the eye opener :shocked: . Having finished it the other day, I can say that upon reflection, it's one of the most bizarre and laudable books that I've ever read.

[YesNo]

I was shocked by the ending of Psalm 137.


Here's a link to the full text: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+137&version=NIV

I agree with your assessment of the psalm.