joeb Posted October 20, 2015 Posted October 20, 2015 I was doing a word search the other day and ran across the text where the Bible says when Absalom shaved his head once a year the hair he shaved off weighed 220 shekels. Well, it made me curious so I did a little research into how much 200 shekels actually weighs in measurements that are familiar to us. From a combination of Bible dictionaries I found the the following. 1. 20 gerahs = 1 shekel 2. 13.7 grains = 1 gerah 3. 1 grain = .0648 grams. 4. 28 grams = 1 ounce 5 16 ounces = 1 lb Thus. 13.7x20 = 274 grains per shekel 200 shekels at 274 grains per shekel = 54,800 grains 54,800 grains x .0648 = 3,551.04 grams 3,551.04 divided by 28 (28 grams per ounce) = 126.822857143 ounces 126.822857143 ounces divided by 16 (16 ounces per lb.) = 7.926428571 lbs. Absalom grew almost 8lbs of hair per year. I find that an astounding number and that is one huge pile of hair. It's no wonder he got caught by his hair in a tree. 8thdaypriest and rudywoofs (Pam) 2 Quote Liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith.Alexis de Tocqueville
joeb Posted October 20, 2015 Author Posted October 20, 2015 (edited) I also ran across the text that so many skeptics love to use to try to discredit the Bible. Hiram built a "sea" that was 10 cubits in diameter and 5 cubits high. The Bible then says the circumference was 30 cubits. That number is used to try to discredit the Bible. What I found out when I started playing with the numbers is that circumference actually tells us what the thickness of the walls of "sea" was. Here's the math. 1. 1 cubit = 18 inches 2. Bowlor sea) was 10 cubits across in total 3. Bowl was 5 cubits high, or exactly 1/2 of a perfect sphere. 10x18 = 180 inches 5x18 = 90 inches 180 x pi = 565.486677646 inches which is the outer circumference of the bowl Bible says circumference was 30 cubits. 30 x pi = 540 inches. Now, if we take the outer circumference of the bowl and compare it to the circumference given by the Bible we find a difference of 8 inches in total between the diameters. 540 divided by pi = 171.887338539 inches. 180 - 171.887338539 = 8.112661461 inches in difference or just about the thickness of two hairs over a 4 inch wall thickness of the bowl. That means this bowl had a volume of 768.77 cubic feet and held, if filled to the very top, just a hair under 5,751 gallons of water. Thus, it needed a 4+ inch wall thickness to hold all that water. Isn't it just amazing how accurate the Bible is, and how it teaches us to actually think about what we say? I would say we should never doubt the accuracy of the Bible. Edited October 20, 2015 by joeb phkrause and 8thdaypriest 2 Quote Liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith.Alexis de Tocqueville
pnattmbtc Posted October 21, 2015 Posted October 21, 2015 5 16 ounces = 1 lb I knew this one. Quote Christ exalted the character of God, attributing to him the praise, and giving to him the credit, of the whole purpose of his own mission on earth,--to set men right through the revelation of God.
Members phkrause Posted October 21, 2015 Members Posted October 21, 2015 Absolutely joeb!! It doesn't even amaze me any longer. What a God we serve. What does amaze me, is to read, hear and see so many try to discredit this book and God!! Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
joeb Posted October 22, 2015 Author Posted October 22, 2015 I have some more trivia today. This one is pretty interesting in light of the politics of today. When David told Solomon to build the temple he also told him that he had saved a bunch of resources to be used in building it. In IChronicles 22:14 he lists those resources. He says he set aside 100,000 talents of gold and 1 million talents of silver. Well, this, once again triggered my curiosity as to what this was all worth. What I found astounded me and made me realize just why the Israelites who had seen Solomon's temple cried when they saw the one built after the Babylonian captivity. OK. According to Bible dictionaries a talent is equal to 3000 shekels which is equal to 125 lbs. Thus, at today's valuations the 100,000 talents of gold was equal $235,000,000,000, The 1 million talents of silver was worth $31,400,000,000. That is figured at $1175/oz for gold, and at $15.70/oz for silver. That might not be the exact value today, but it was the exact value the day I did the calculations. That means David had saved $266.4 billion in gold and silver. He also had enough brass and iron that it was "without weight" there was so much of it. Besides that the cedar lumber/timber he had set aside as reckoned the same way. So much of it they had no way to accurately measure all of it. It says David was more wealthy, all by himself, than all billionaires in the world today combined. Oh, and by the way, Solomon's yearly income in gold was $1,565,000,000(666 talents of gold/yr). That doesn't even take into account any of his other sources of income. Now, if God thinks wealth is sinful, and the Bible tells us that God tempts no man, why was there so much disparity in wealth in Israel? God says in the Bible He was the one responsible for making both David and Solomon extremely wealthy. And they were. They had riches beyond imagination. Does this not tell us what God thinks of socialism's ideals? Quote Liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith.Alexis de Tocqueville
LifeHiscost Posted October 22, 2015 Posted October 22, 2015 I would say we should never doubt the accuracy of the Bible. Not to mention that if we say we believe the Holy Bible is the Word of God, are we not saying God's Word cannot be trusted and is unreliable. God is Love! Jesus saves! Quote Lift Jesus up!!
Members phkrause Posted October 24, 2015 Members Posted October 24, 2015 Not to mention that if we say we believe the Holy Bible is the Word of God, are we not saying God's Word cannot be trusted and is unreliable. Are you sure this statement is what you really wanted to say?? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
ChildofChrist Posted October 24, 2015 Posted October 24, 2015 joeb quote: 126.822857143 ounces divided by 16 (16 ounces per lb.) = 7.926428571 lbs. Absalom grew almost 8lbs of hair per year. I find that an astounding number and that is one huge pile of hair. It's no wonder he got caught by his hair in a tree. I would say that he had a very healthy diet. Quote Wakan Tanka Kici Un ~~Child of Christ~~
LifeHiscost Posted October 24, 2015 Posted October 24, 2015 Are you sure this statement is what you really wanted to say?? I wanted to change it but don't seem to be able to find the place to do it. I was referring to the thought expressed that the Bible was not totally reliable and yet it, the Bible, was still believed. Does that make this more understandable. [quote[ Not to mention that if we say we believe the Holy Bible is the Word of God (but it's unreliable), are we not saying God's Word cannot be trusted and is unreliable. God is Love! Jesus saves! Quote Lift Jesus up!!
GayatfootofCross Posted October 24, 2015 Posted October 24, 2015 i find this thread very interesting! Thanku, joeb! I also ran across the text that so many skeptics love to use to try to discredit the Bible. Hiram built a "sea" that was 10 cubits in diameter and 5 cubits high. The Bible then says the circumference was 30 cubits. Isn't it just amazing how accurate the Bible is, and how it teaches us to actually think about what we say? I would say we should never doubt the accuracy of the Bible. Quote For all Eternity God waited in anticipation for You to show up to give You a Message - YOUR INCLUDED !!! { a merry dance }?️? " If you tarry 'til you're better You will never come at all " .. "I Will Rise" by the late great saved Glen Campbell If your picture of God is starting to feel too good to be true, you're starting to move in the right direction. "My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite." Romeo and Juliet
Members phkrause Posted October 24, 2015 Members Posted October 24, 2015 I wanted to change it but don't seem to be able to find the place to do it. I was referring to the thought expressed that the Bible was not totally reliable and yet it, the Bible, was still believed. Does that make this more understandable. [quote[ Not to mention that if we say we believe the Holy Bible is the Word of God (but it's unreliable), are we not saying God's Word cannot be trusted and is unreliable. God is Love! Jesus saves! I guess this makes a little more sense. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
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