What About Cremation?

Cremation, as an alternative to burial, is the final disposition of a dead body through burning. In some ancient cultures it is the preferred method of the disposal of human remains, carried out as a respectful and honorable ritual. 

The Bible does not dictate a specific way of disposing of dead bodies, although most recorded accounts are burials, either in the ground or in a tomb. Burning a human body was sometimes done as a punishment or a symbol of punishment or an act of desecration (Gen. 38:24; Lev. 20:14; Josh. 7:25; 2 Kings 23:15-20; Amos 2:1). The dead bodies of Saul and his sons, having already been desecrated by the Philistines, were burned by noble men to prevent further desecration (1 Sam. 31:11-13). 

At death the human spirit departs from its mortal shell; the spirit lives on but the body decomposes to dust (Gen. 3:19; Jas. 2:26). Even a cremated body does not totally disappear, with approximately 2.4 kg (5.3 lbs.) of remains. Whether a human body is consumed in a house fire, is eaten by a shark, deteriorates slowly in a grave or rapidly in a funeral pyre, does not affect what Almighty God has in store for the future. However a corpse disintegrates, the Lord has the power to reunite the human spirit with a renewed, incorruptible, spiritual housing that lives forevermore (1 Cor. 15:35-54; 2 Cor. 5:1-4).

--Kevin L. Moore

 

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The Naming of Constellations in Scripture

As Job reflects on the awesomeness of God’s creative power, he acknowledges God as the One “who made the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the chambers of the south” (Job 9:9, ESV). God then questions Job, “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loose the cords of Orion? Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth [‘constellations,’ CSB, NIV] in their season, or can you guide the Bear with its children?” (Job 38:31-32).  

Centuries later, in a pronouncement of judgment against Babylon, using apocalyptic imagery Yahweh declares: “For the stars of the heavens and their constellations [lit. ‘Orion and other constellations’] will not give their light; the sun will be dark at its rising, and the moon will not shed its light” (Isaiah 13:10). In a contemporaneous prophecy and lament over Israel’s impending judgment, the Lord is described as “He who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into the morning and darkens the day into night …” (Amos 5:8).

Included among the innumerable stars created and positioned in the heavens (Gen. 1:14-19), “the Bear” (a.k.a. Ursa Major) is a constellation of seven primary stars in the northern sky.¹ “Orion” is one of the most prominent and recognizable constellations, positioned on the celestial equator and named in the secular world after the Greek mythological hunter. “Pleiades” is the designation given by the ancient Greeks to a cluster of seven stars in the eastern sky, the observance of which marked the beginning of navigation season, later applied to the seven divine sisters of Greek mythology. Identifying “the chambers of the south” is less certain, apparently referring to a constellation or larger grouping of stars in the southern sky.

Heavenly Constellations and Earthly Names

The Bible in no way legitimizes the pagan pantheon of luminaries or the practice of astrology, the human attempt to read the stars to foretell the future (see 2 Kings 23:5; Isa. 47:13). The biblical record often uses accommodative language with which its original audience was familiar, enabling them to relate to and understand the intended message.² No one is certain as to when these names were given to the constellations, although apparently it was before the OT books of Job, Isaiah, and Amos were written.

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ The Latin name means “the greater she-bear.” There is uncertainty about the specific identification of the first constellation alluded to in this verse, possibly Aldebaran, the eye of Taurus and brightest star in Hyades, or Arcturus (see KJV and Latin Vulgate). The most popular proposal, equating the Hebrew ‘āš in Job 9:9 with ‘ayiš in 38:32, is the Great Bear (ASV, CSB, ESV, NASB, NIV, NKJV, et al.).

     ² See K. L. Moore, “What are the Behemoth and the Leviathan in Job 40-41?” Moore Perspective (27 Oct. 2020), <Link>.

 

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Who was Bathsheba’s father?

Bathsheba is probably best remembered as the wife of David and mother of Solomon (2 Sam. 12:24). The Hebrew prefix bath- means “daughter,” therefore her name means “daughter of Sheba.” However, in 2 Samuel 11:3 she is said to be the daughter of Eliam, while in 1 Chronicles 3:5 she is said to be Amiel’s daughter. Sheba, Eliam, and Amiel are all masculine names, so who was Bathsheba’s father?

Jewish names almost always had special meaning. Like the Hebrew ben- and Aramaic bar-,¹ the feminine bath- indicates more than just immediate parentage (cf. Num. 25:1; 1 Sam. 1:16; 2 Sam. 1:20, 24; etc.). The name Sheba was not uncommon in antiquity,² but it was not worn by Bathsheba’s father. The Hebrew word has two possible meanings, involving the noun sheba (“seven”) and the verbal shaba (to “swear” with an oath). The name Bathsheba is a combination of bath- (daughter) + sheba (oath?), thus the “daughter of an oath,” perhaps related to the circumstances of her birth. 

Her father had a compound name as well. Eliam (2 Sam. 11:3) combines el (“God”) + am (“kinsman”), meaning “God is [my] kinsman.” In 1 Chron. 3:5 the name is rendered Amiel, which is the same name with the component parts transposed: am (“kinsman”) + el (“God”), meaning “[my] kinsman is God.”

There is no incongruity in the biblical record. The confusion is simply due to the veiling of meaning in English translation.³

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ See K. L. Moore, “The Aramaic Patronymic Bar,” Moore Perspective (29 May 2015), <Link>.

     ² This name was worn by multiple persons (Gen. 10:7, 28; 25:3; 2 Sam. 20:1-22; 1 Chron. 1:9, 22, 32; 5:13), as well as a politico-geographical designation (1 Kings 10:1-13; 2 Chron. 9:1-12; Job 6:19; Psa. 7:2:10, 15; Isa. 60:6; Jer. 6:20; Ezek. 27:22-23; 38:13).

     ³ Was the false prophet in Paphos (Acts 13:6-10) called bar Yeshua (“son of Joshua”), Barïēsoûs (“son of Jesus”), Elúmas (“wise” or “powerful” one), or huiè diabólou (“son of [the] devil”)? Yes he was!

 

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