The universal truth is that God does not lie. James tells us that he does not tempt us to sin as there is no evil intent of heart to deceive. But does that include all human beings, including the evil? Deuteronomy 13:1-4 reads, “If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and…
In a non-legal context, the law of Moses condemns falsehood, and the wisdom literature is especially clear regarding God’s attitude toward lies. Surprisingly, there seems to be no rule against lies in the judicial contexts of the law. But, several places prohibit bearing false witness (Exodus 20:16, 23:7, Deut. 5:20). Other contexts outside the legal…
The Bible’s attitude toward deception and falsehood can be confusing because it appears to be a universal occurrence, even by people that we would least expect. Sometimes, the author presents the facts in a way that points to the condemnation of the deceiver, while at other times, the narrator moves right through the events being…
2 Samuel 16:15-19 reads, “Now Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. And when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!” And Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you…
Absalom slays Amnon to avenge his sister Tamar. 2 Samuel 13:24-28 reads, “And Absalom came to the king and said, “Behold, your servant has sheepshearers. Please let the king and his servants go with your servant.” But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to you.”…
David pretends to be a crazy man before Achish, king of Gath (1 Samuel 21:10-15). The text reads, “And David rose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath. And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to…
As we continue biblical examples of lies and deceit in the Bible, we cannot ignore the many examples in 1 & 2 Samuel. Consider only the list with a short description of the purpose of the deception in each example found in these two books. We are not suggesting that it is right to lie. …
At some point, it appears that the major characters in the Genesis account lie. Lying is not uncommon among people. On the contrary, lying is considered one of the most basic forms of human interaction. Children lie from infancy, and adults frequently do not tell each other the full truth. We have impersonation, and disguise, …
The consequences of lies is seen in the following example. “And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart: ‘The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob’. And these words of Esau her elder son were…
Ultimately, the lie is unveiled. But the Genesis lie narratives exhibit variations in the manner in which the deception is uncovered. In Genesis 27, the awareness of deception takes place when Isaac and Esau realize their loss. This awareness generates deep feelings. And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end…