The Genocidal LORD

Is Exodus about consciousness?

Welcome to the Daily Bible Chapter. My name is James Leroy Wilson and I invite you to join me as we discover new insights and new perspectives from a very old book.

Before I'm even going to read Exodus 23, I wanted to make an observation about the last three chapters. They suggest that the LORD is, indeed, moral and decent. Taken as a literal story with the LORD an independent character, before then the LORD had seemed malicious. This includes actually trying to kill Moses in Exodus 4, and the killing of the first-born of the Egyptians. Exodus 20-22, however, suggests a LORD who for the most part really just requires Israel to act justly and to do away with idolatry and superstition. Let's see if this saner version of the LORD continues.

Exodus 23

I'm reading Young's Literal Translation (YLT) and the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Well, the sane version of the LORD goes for 14 verses in chapter 23. Then the fastidious version comes out, then the genocidal version.

Wiping out all the peoples of Canaan can hardly be justified unless we go back to the theme that's developed in my running commentary. This is about the metaphorical Israelite, descendant of Shem, having mastery over the metaphorical Canaanite, descendant of Ham. Shem is your "highest" self, Ham is your basest self, and Ham's false gods must be obliterated from our consciousness. 

The struggle is internal. If the story isn't metaphorical and the LORD does command genocide of the native Canaanites, that suggests that the LORD is criminally insane. Or Moses is.  

James Leroy Wilson writes Daily Miracles, The Daily Bible Chapter, JL Cells, and The MVP Chase. Thanks for your subscriptions and support!

(Photo credit: TyshkunVictor)