To those who support this belief, before we get into this, I want to speak to you as a favor. This argument will never land with for two reasons.
1) The ONLY perfect moral exemplar for Christians is Jesus. The comparison is between Jesus and Muhammad. No one else. The Bible is FULL of sinners and does not hide it at all. Pick anyone and it won’t matter. Because only Jesus is perfect. That’s the only worthy comparison.
2) This argument is so illogical and adds to the text so much it makes people who support this argument look… not smart. Sorry but it’s true. I know you are not stupid which is why I’m saying this. But the more this argument is promoted, it is not a good look for you. There are other things in Scripture that are actually a challenge. This isn’t one of them. Just letting you know. I mean if you want to keep bringing up this argument go ahead.
—–
So let’s get into this.
Just because someone quotes Bible verses doesn’t mean that their quotes or implications are accurate. This is one of those cases where again, someone says that Rebekah was 3 years old when she married Isaac, and thus people claim pedophilia in the Bible.
I know for most people they are scratching their heads thinking, “does anyone really believe this? It’s not in the Bible so…?” Yes, crazy enough. People actually believe it. It is being told and people just accept it without even thinking. Or looking. Or even having basic logic.
So let’s look at this and the fallacies attached and how the logic is utterly twisted:
- Sarah gave birth to Isaac at the age of 90 (TRUE – Genesis 17:17)
- Isaac was in his 30’s when the incident of Mount Moriah (almost sacrifice of Isaac) occurred with his father, Abraham (FALSE – The age is not known and never does it say his age. This is completely made up to create the foundation for the lie).
- Immediately after Isaac and Abraham’s incident on Mount Moriah, Rebecca is born (VERY FALSE) – This is the foundation of the lie here. The text says, “Some time later Abraham was told…” (Genesis 22:19-24) and then there’s the list of kids he was told about.
There was no internet, phone, etc… at the time. Just because someone’s birth was mentioned didn’t mean it happened right at that exact moment. If it did, all 8 children and a grandchild were born at the exact same moment. This is what this belief implies based on the usage of this Scripture. That’s lunacy. - As soon as Rebecca’s birth is mentioned in Gen 22, a few verses down (next chapter), we read that Sarah died at the age of 127 years old (TRUE and FALSE – Sarah did die at 127 years old. FALSE–Rebecca’s birth is NOT mentioned that it happened at that exact moment, and that all the other children happened at the exact same moment. It’s not a chronology.
- At the time of Sarah’s death, Isaac would have been 37 years old (FALSE – We don’t know his age).
- Isaac mentioned Rebecca at the age of 40 (Gen 25:20), this would show from the Bible that Rebecca was only 3 years old, given that she was only born three years prior, just after the Mount Moriah incident and the death of Sarah (TRUE AND FALSE – Isaac married Rebecca when he was 40, but the age of Rebecca is false).
– “FORTY YEARS OLD – For when Abraham came from Mount Moriah he received the news that Rebecca was born (22:20)” FALSE. Here’s what it says:
20 Some time later Abraham was told, “Milkah is also a mother; she has borne sons to your brother Nahor:
Again, there weren’t phones back then and news of births were not simultaneous to the announcement of them. That’s the basis of this argument. That somehow when Abraham was told that his brother had children and grandchildren that they were born in that moment. Somehow that this was a phone call or telepathy. But let’s continue.
The Person writing the comment continues a summation: “Isaac was 37 years old, because at that time Sarah died and from the birth of Isaac until the Binding – when Sarah died, there were thirty-seven years since she was 90 years old when Isaac was born and 127 when she died. as it is said, (23:1) “And the life of Sarah was [one hundred and twenty-seven years] — thus Isaac was then 37 years old. At that period was born and he waited until she was fit for marriage – 3 years – and then married her” – FALSE FALSE FALSE
To summarize:
Isaac was 37 years old when his mother died. And yes, he was 40 years old when he married Rebekah.
Then a WHOLE LOT is added to the text say that Rebekah was 3 years old when they married that don’t even make sense. .
What is added to the text:
- Abraham “lived in Beersheba” (Genesis 22:19). For this to mean that Rebekah was 3 years old meant that a person must think “living” someplace means an overnight visit.
- It says “some time later” Abraham was told his brother had children and grandchildren. For this to mean Rebekah was 3 means that “some time later” means overnight. ??? It also implies that there must be email and phone as the announcement that his brother had children and grandchildren would be immediate. (And if it does mean immediate then his brother had children and grandchildren at the exact same time–a scientific miracle!).
- In the next chapter mentions Sarah died. To make it fit into a narrative of Rebekah at 3 years old it would have to mean that the next chapter has the word “immediately” added, which isn’t in the text. It would also mean every single chapter in the Bible even if it doesn’t mention how long it is between chapters, then the entirety of the Bible is just one really long giant day. Or a couple of days. This doesn’t amount to even a basic reading of any text.
- Furthermore if you read the next chapters, you see that this supposed 3 year old carried 500+ gallons of water in a clay jar on her head and had intelligent conversation with Abraham’s servant. Really? Amazing.
Do you see why this makes me people who support this argument look not smart?
Let’s look more closely at Genesis 24. Let’s put this all in context:
- Women went to draw water at a certain hour. Women.
He had the camels kneel down near the well outside the town; it was toward evening, the time the women go out to draw water (v. 11). Not children. Women. Flesh and blood women. - If she was 3 which she wasn’t, how many 3 year olds carry a heavy clay jar full of water on their shoulder for their flocks up and down to a creek bed?
Gen 24:15 Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder…She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.
A 3 year old child is not going to be able to do this. Not even once. - How many 3 year olds draw water for an entire flock of camels who…drink like camels?
19 After she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have had enough to drink.” 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels.
Google and you will find that camels can drink around 53 gallons of water in a single refill. There were 10 camels. Can a 3 year old draw 530+ gallons of water (2000 liters)??? A 3 year old? That is ludicrous. - How many 3 year olds have the mental and vocabulary capacity to see a need, serve and articulate the following?
24 She answered him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milkah bore to Nahor.” 25 And she added, “We have plenty of straw and fodder, as well as room for you to spend the night.”
No 3 year old is going to see the need, articulate that need, take action, put a heavy jar of water on her head or shoulder and carry 2000 liters of water. This is not the speech or actions of a 3 year old.
This kind of stuff isn’t in the Bible, isn’t even logical, and is total nonsensical.
Read the Bible and see for yourself the truth.
Again, let’s say it is true. It will never land.
Jesus is the only moral example. That’s it.
If you are looking for sinners in the Bible, let me help you!
- Noah got drunk and exposed himself
- Abraham was a liar
- Moses was a murderer
- David was an adulterer and murderer
The Bible says “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:10).
Seriously, dear muslims, I want to save you the embarrassment. You are hopefully smarter than this argument. But if you want to keep this ongoing, many are really glad that you do as it shows the lack of ability to read the text. It truly is an insult to many an intelligent muslim to run with this argument. But please, go ahead.
Just in case you want to persist in this, let me give you all the texts about from which this argument is taken:
Genesis 22:15-24
15 And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba.
20 Now after these things it was told to Abraham, “Behold, Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor: 21 Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, 22 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” 23 (Bethuel fathered Rebekah.) These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. 24 Moreover, his concubine, whose name was Reumah, bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.
–NEXT CHAPTER–
“Sarah lived 127 years; these were the years of the life of Sarah. 2 And Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.” (Genesis 23:1-2)
— NEXT CHAPTER–
Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. 2 And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh, 3 that I may make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, 4 but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” 5 The servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?” 6 Abraham said to him, “See to it that you do not take my son back there. 7 The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me and swore to me, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. 8 But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not take my son back there.” 9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.
10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, taking all sorts of choice gifts from his master; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia to the city of Nahor. 11 And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water. 12 And he said, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham. 13 Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14 Let the young woman to whom I shall say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this[b] I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master.”
15 Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, came out with her water jar on her shoulder. 16 The young woman was very attractive in appearance, a maiden[c] whom no man had known. She went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up. 17 Then the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water to drink from your jar.” 18 She said, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly let down her jar upon her hand and gave him a drink. 19 When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels. 21 The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the Lord had prospered his journey or not.
22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half shekel,[d] and two bracelets for her arms weighing ten gold shekels, 23 and said, “Please tell me whose daughter you are. Is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?” 24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” 25 She added, “We have plenty of both straw and fodder, and room to spend the night.” 26 The man bowed his head and worshiped the Lord 27 and said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the Lord has led me in the way to the house of my master’s kinsmen.” 28 Then the young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things.
29 Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. Laban ran out toward the man, to the spring. 30 As soon as he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister’s arms, and heard the words of Rebekah his sister, “Thus the man spoke to me,” he went to the man. And behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring. 31 He said, “Come in, O blessed of the Lord. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.” 32 So the man came to the house and unharnessed the camels, and gave straw and fodder to the camels, and there was water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. 33 Then food was set before him to eat. But he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I have to say.” He said, “Speak on.”
34 So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. 35 The Lord has greatly blessed my master, and he has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, camels and donkeys. 36 And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old, and to him he has given all that he has. 37 My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell, 38 but you shall go to my father’s house and to my clan and take a wife for my son.’ 39 I said to my master, ‘Perhaps the woman will not follow me.’ 40 But he said to me, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you and prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son from my clan and from my father’s house. 41 Then you will be free from my oath, when you come to my clan. And if they will not give her to you, you will be free from my oath.’
42 “I came today to the spring and said, ‘O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if now you are prospering the way that I go, 43 behold, I am standing by the spring of water. Let the virgin who comes out to draw water, to whom I shall say, “Please give me a little water from your jar to drink,” 44 and who will say to me, “Drink, and I will draw for your camels also,” let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed for my master’s son.’
45 “Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her water jar on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ 46 She quickly let down her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will give your camels drink also.’ So I drank, and she gave the camels drink also. 47 Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her arms. 48 Then I bowed my head and worshiped the Lord and blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way[e] to take the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son. 49 Now then, if you are going to show steadfast love and faithfulness to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.”
50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing has come from the Lord; we cannot speak to you bad or good. 51 Behold, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has spoken.”
52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the earth before the Lord. 53 And the servant brought out jewelry of silver and of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave to her brother and to her mother costly ornaments. 54 And he and the men who were with him ate and drank, and they spent the night there. When they arose in the morning, he said, “Send me away to my master.” 55 Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman remain with us a while, at least ten days; after that she may go.” 56 But he said to them, “Do not delay me, since the Lord has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.” 57 They said, “Let us call the young woman and ask her.” 58 And they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.” 59 So they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men. 60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,
“Our sister, may you become
thousands of ten thousands,
and may your offspring possess
the gate of those who hate him!”[f]
61 Then Rebekah and her young women arose and rode on the camels and followed the man. Thus the servant took Rebekah and went his way.
62 Now Isaac had returned from Beer-lahai-roi and was dwelling in the Negeb. 63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening. And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, there were camels coming. 64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel 65 and said to the servant, “Who is that man, walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took her veil and covered herself. 66 And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. 67 Then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death (Genesis 24).