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vahntitrio t1_j8tt29d wrote

Reply to comment by dogsent in Mozambique pastor dies attempting 40-day Jesus fast - BBC News by UsernameEmanresu22

40 isn't a symbolic number - it's just a translation thing. Imagine putting the number 7 in the place of every instance of the word several.

40 is inserted in the bible wherever a word that should more closely be translated to "many" appeared.

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ericisshort t1_j8tvbsa wrote

Interesting. Where did you learn this?

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vahntitrio t1_j8twy21 wrote

I have a friend with a PhD in Religious Studies (focused mostly on the old testament and Hebrew), he mentioned it to me.

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Ironwolf7448 t1_j8v0xha wrote

Can you ask your friend what the fuck is up with the bears for me?

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doogle_126 t1_j8vjzts wrote

Elisha and God didn't like the teenagers. So bears ate them.

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nWo1997 t1_j8w8qd3 wrote

I heard that the bear thing was less "a group of wee ones call a man bald" ("go up, baldie") and more "a mob of young men threateningly group up and shout at a man to die" ("go up, baldie").

It was in one of those "what does everyone get wrong about the Bible" threads on r/askreddit.

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TucuReborn t1_j8wxjb5 wrote

This is also the case for a lot of religious texts.

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