Ingledsva
HEATHEN ALASKAN
Samuel and Samson were examples of how these firstborn were to sacrificed to Jehovah. It was not done by blood-letting.
Instead, the children were "brought up in the discipline and admonition (or, "instruction; guidance." Lit., "putting mind in.") of Jehovah." (Eph 6:4)
They were set on the path of dedicated service to their God.
There was a major difference between things "devoted" and things "sanctified." Things "devoted" could not be redeemed whereas things "sanctified" could be bought back. (see Le 27:19,27,30,31)
The reason for devoting could mean either a life of service or death depending on the circumstances.
Devoted to death:
"When the Canaanite king of A'rad, who dwelled in the Neg'eb, heard that Israel had come by the way of Ath'a-rim, he attacked Israel and carried away some of them as captives. So Israel made this vow to Jehovah: 'If you give this people into my hand, I will without fail devote their cities to destruction." - Numbers 21:1,2
Devoted to a life of service - dead to a culturally normal way of life:
"Then Jeph'thah made a vow to Jehovah and said: 'If you give the Am'mon-ites into my hand, then whoever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Am'mon-ites will become Jehovah's, and I will offer that one up as a burnt sacrifice." - Judges 11:30,31
His daughter was the one then ended up 'devoted'. She did not die as one condemned, but lived on as a single woman living a life a full-time service to Jehovah. (Judges 11:38-40)
With this understanding this verses in Leviticus could be rendered this way:
"But no devoted thing that a man devotes unconditionally (or "devotes to destruction.") to Jehovah from his belongings may be sold or bought back, whether from mankind or animals or the field he possesses. Every devoted thing is something most holy to Jehovah. Furthermore, no condemned (or, "devoted.") person who is set apart for destruction may be redeemed. He should be put to death without fail." - Leviticus 27:28,29
This is pure bull - we have totally covered this subject here. It says they cannot be redeemed - but must be killed.
EZEKIEL 20:25-26 Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good and ordinances whereby they should not live; and I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they set apart all that openeth the womb (First Born),that I might destroy them, to the end that they might know that I am the Lord.
Exodus 22: 29 –Thou shalt not delay TO OFFER the FIRST of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: THE FIRSTBORN OF THY SONS SHALT THOU GIVE UNTO ME.
Leviticus 27: 28, 29 Notwithstanding NO devoted thing, that a man shall devote unto the Lord of all that he hath, BOTH OF "MAN" and beast, and of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every devoted thing is most holy unto the Lord.29 - None devoted, which shall be devoted of men shall be redeemed; BUT SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH.
Micah vi. 7: "Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?"
“In the week's Torah portion, G-d says about the Mishkan( Tabernacle) "V'neekdash Bichvodi", I will be made holy in my honor (loosely translated). The Talmud says to read it that "I will be made holy through my honored ones" referring to Aaron's 2 son's who were killed. Their death was part of the dedication of the Mishkan…”
Hypermail Torah-Forum Archive: Re: Human Sacrifice
"... The custom of causing one's children to pass through the fire seems to have been general in the Northern Kingdom [IV (II) Kings, xvii, 17; Ezech. xxiii, 37], and it gradually grew in the Southern, encouraged by the royal example of Achaz (IV Kings, xvi, 3) and Manasses [IV (II) Kings, xvi, 6] till it became prevalent in the time of the prophet Jeremias (Jerem. xxxii, 35), when King Josias suppressed the worship of Moloch and defiled Tophet [IV (II) Kings, xxiii, 13 (10)]. It is not improbable that this worship was revived under Joakim and continued until the Babylonian Captivity …
… In other words, the Melech to whom child-sacrifices were offered was Yahweh under another name. To uphold this view appeal is made in particular to Jer., vii, 31; xix, 5, and to Ezech., xx, 25-31".- Catholic Encyclopedia
"The motive for these sacrifices is not far to seek. It is given in Micah vi. 7: "Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?" In the midst of the disasters which were befalling the nation men felt that if the favor of Yhwh could be regained it was worth any price they could pay. Their Semitic kindred worshiped their gods with offerings of their children, and in their desperation the Israelites did the same. For some reason, perhaps because not all the priestly and prophetic circles approved of the movement, they made the offerings, not in the Temple, but at an altar or pyre called "Tapheth" (LXX.), erected in the valley of Hinnom (comp. W. R. Smith, "Rel. of Sem." 2d ed., p. 372). "Tapheth," also, was later pointed "Topheth," after the analogy of "bosheth." In connection with these extraordinary offerings the worshipers continued the regular Temple sacrifices to Yhwh (Ezek. xxiii. 39)."http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jspartid=718&letter=M#ixzz1RUY3XCSI
2Ki 17:17 And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
Eze 23:37 That they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands, and with their idols have they committed adultery, and have also caused their sons, whom they bare unto me, to pass for them through the fire, to devour them.
2Ki 16:3 But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel.
Jewish Ritual Murder, a Historical Investigation, written in 1941 by Hellmut Schramm, Ph.D
THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF THE BELOVED SON The Transformation of Child Sacrifice in Judaism and Christianity Jon D. Levenson
"Tracing from Canaanite to Christian thought the humiliations, deaths, and exaltations of sons and heirs, Levenson intrigues, astounds, and undermines many dearly held theological beliefs. This tour de force offers fascinating discussions of such matters as child sacrifice and the deity's right to the first-born; the paschal sacrifice and other Israelite rituals as symbolic substitutes for the son and heir."--A. J. Levine, Choice
I have pages of this Hebrew Child Sacrifice material.
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