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Did Moses break the tablets with God's law on them?

Remté

Active Member
The biblical and the Quranic versions differ. The bible says he was so enraged on returning that he broke the tablets. The Quran doesn't say this. It is clear from the Quran the tablets are not broken. It is said that it would be outragous to claim that Moses would break the tablets. They are from God after all and they have God's law on them and Moses is not a man with a weak nature.

Thoughts?
 

danieldemol

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
The biblical and the Quranic versions differ. The bible says he was so enraged on returning that he broke the tablets. The Quran doesn't say this. It is clear from the Quran the tablets are not broken. It is said that it would be outragous to claim that Moses would break the tablets. They are from God after all and they have God's law on them and Moses is not a man with a weak nature.

Thoughts?
My thought is that you seem to take the account most hagiographic as the most historically accurate. Unfortunately this is not a sound logical manner to arrive at the most reasonable conclusion.

Anyway just for my knowledge where does it say in the Quran that the plates were not broken?
 

Remté

Active Member
My thought is that you seem to take the account most hagiographic as the most historically accurate. Unfortunately this is not a sound logical manner to arrive at the most reasonable conclusion.

Anyway just for my knowledge where does it say in the Quran that the plates were not broken?
"When Moses came back to his people, angry and grieved, he said: "Evil it is that ye have done in my place in my absence: did ye make haste to bring on the judgment of your Lord?" He put down the tablets, seized his brother by (the hair of) his head, and dragged him to him. Aaron said: "Son of my mother! the people did indeed reckon me as naught, and went near to slaying me! Make not the enemies rejoice over my misfortune, nor count thou me amongst the people of sin."" 6:150

"When Moses came back to his people, angry and grieved, he said: "Evil it is that ye have done in my place in my absence: did ye make haste to bring on the judgment of your Lord?" He put down the tablets, seized his brother by (the hair of) his head, and dragged him to him. Aaron said: "Son of my mother! the people did indeed reckon me as naught, and went near to slaying me! Make not the enemies rejoice over my misfortune, nor count thou me amongst the people of sin."" 6:154​
 

Ellen Brown

Well-Known Member
The biblical and the Quranic versions differ. The bible says he was so enraged on returning that he broke the tablets. The Quran doesn't say this. It is clear from the Quran the tablets are not broken. It is said that it would be outragous to claim that Moses would break the tablets. They are from God after all and they have God's law on them and Moses is not a man with a weak nature.

Thoughts?

Moses had a temper. He not only broke the tablets but struck the rock twice. (The one where they got the water). Hmmm.
 

danieldemol

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Interestingly in the Quran’s account Moses seizes His righteous brother Aaron by the hair in the same rage. Dare I suggest as a liberal that the Prophets may have been human after all?
 

Salvador

RF's Swedenborgian
The biblical and the Quranic versions differ. The bible says he was so enraged on returning that he broke the tablets. The Quran doesn't say this. It is clear from the Quran the tablets are not broken. It is said that it would be outragous to claim that Moses would break the tablets. They are from God after all and they have God's law on them and Moses is not a man with a weak nature.

Thoughts?

"AC 1046110453); from the signification of "casting them out of the hand and breaking them," as being to destroy the genuine external sense, thus also to change and make it different (that the external sense of the Word was changed and made different on account of the Israelitish nation, (n. 10453); and from the signification of "Mount Sinai," as being heaven from which is Divine truth (n. 9420). It is said "beneath the mountain," because the external sense of the Word is beneath heaven, whereas the internal sense is in heaven...."

Spiritual Meaning of EXODUS 32:15-20
 

Subduction Zone

Veteran Member
Since Moses was a mythical character he can do whatever you want him to do.

in the comic book world they resolve this by creating different universes for their characters at times.
 

Brickjectivity

Turned to Stone. Now I stretch daily.
Staff member
Premium Member
The biblical and the Quranic versions differ. The bible says he was so enraged on returning that he broke the tablets. The Quran doesn't say this. It is clear from the Quran the tablets are not broken. It is said that it would be outragous to claim that Moses would break the tablets. They are from God after all and they have God's law on them and Moses is not a man with a weak nature.

Thoughts?
I'm sure my comments on the Quran don't matter much, however on the story of Moses I think its fine to have more than one possible story. We can take both stories and judge in each case what Moses should do, or we can decide what we should have done if it were us. I see no reason not to. My thought (which I have pointed out before) is that the ten commandments are written with the finger, but Adam is formed from clay. Therefore it is reasonable for the tablets to be broken in order to preserve lives.
 

Salvador

RF's Swedenborgian
Since Moses was a mythical character he can do whatever you want him to do.

in the comic book world they resolve this by creating different universes for their characters at times.

This scripture in the book of Exodus has a secret coded-text.... The book of Exodus has a inner spiritual meaning; hence, it's not meant to be taken literally.

Emanuel Swedenborg whom I believe to have been caught in a Matrix glitch was able to crack this hidden code.
 
The biblical and the Quranic versions differ. The bible says he was so enraged on returning that he broke the tablets. The Quran doesn't say this. It is clear from the Quran the tablets are not broken. It is said that it would be outragous to claim that Moses would break the tablets. They are from God after all and they have God's law on them and Moses is not a man with a weak nature.

Thoughts?

Moses having great respect for God and having value for the tablets dont mean he could not have thrown them down in frustration.

I value my phone, but one time in a fit of frustration i threw it down and broke it. Afterward i wish i would have laid it down and grabed something less valuable and threw it instead. :p
 

Salvador

RF's Swedenborgian
That has never been shown to be the case. So called "Bible codes" have been refuted.

"One of the most important elements of Swedenborg’s theology is the principle that the Bible has an inner, spiritual meaning encoded within the text. He says that the Bible was never meant to be taken purely or even primarily in a literal sense, and he points out that the text is often confusing or even contradictory if taken literally. Rather, Swedenborg asserts, the Bible should be read as a multilayered description of the spiritual realities within us and in the world beyond."

Inner Meaning of the Bible – Swedenborg Foundation
 

Subduction Zone

Veteran Member
"One of the most important elements of Swedenborg’s theology is the principle that the Bible has an inner, spiritual meaning encoded within the text. He says that the Bible was never meant to be taken purely or even primarily in a literal sense, and he points out that the text is often confusing or even contradictory if taken literally. Rather, Swedenborg asserts, the Bible should be read as a multilayered description of the spiritual realities within us and in the world beyond."

Inner Meaning of the Bible – Swedenborg Foundation
That seems to say that one can get the Bible to mean whatever one wants it to mean. You need to find something more objective.
 

Salvador

RF's Swedenborgian
That seems to say that one can get the Bible to mean whatever one wants it to mean. You need to find something more objective.

Obviously, nobody could literally trek down Mt. Sinai with 2 heavy tablets. So then, this story of Moses coming down this mountain with these heavy tablets is meant to have some other meaning.
Right?

342b27365a8a2607796e48541d10fae0-450x337.jpg
 
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Subduction Zone

Veteran Member
Obviously, nobody could literally trek down Mt. Sinai with 2 heavy tablets. So then, obviously, this story of Moses coming down this mountain with these heavy tablets is meant to have some other meaning. Right?

342b27365a8a2607796e48541d10fae0-450x337.jpg
It is even harder to do so when fictional.
 

Salvador

RF's Swedenborgian
Moses having great respect for God and having value for the tablets dont mean he could not have thrown them down in frustration.

I value my phone, but one time in a fit of frustration i threw it down and broke it. Afterward i wish i would have laid it down and grabed something less valuable and threw it instead. :p

How do you think some old man, Moses, managed to climb down Mount Sinai with 2 heavy tablets?

traditional_mt_sinai.jpg
 

whirlingmerc

Well-Known Member
The biblical and the Quranic versions differ. The bible says he was so enraged on returning that he broke the tablets. The Quran doesn't say this. It is clear from the Quran the tablets are not broken. It is said that it would be outragous to claim that Moses would break the tablets. They are from God after all and they have God's law on them and Moses is not a man with a weak nature.

Thoughts?

Moses as the author of the books in the Bible saying so has said that he did break them.
It would imply there can be mercy and forgiveness for such sins

It raises some important other issues. People are broken, fallen creatures and
even Moses or David are people who are fallen broken needy people, in need of forgiveness
 
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