The (Strange) Heifer Story
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There are something within 'the heifer story' which seems odd..
267-71
Moses said to his people, "God commands you to sacrifice a heifer." They said, "Are you mocking us?" He said, "God forbid, that I should behave like the ignorant ones."
They said, "Call upon your Lord to show us which one." He said, "He says that she is a heifer that is neither too old, nor too young; of an intermediate age. Now, carry out what you are commanded to do."
They said, "Call upon your Lord to show us her color." He said, "He says that she is a yellow heifer, bright colored, pleases the beholders."
They said, "Call upon your Lord to show us which one. The heifers look alike to us and, God willing, we will be guided."
He said, "He says that she is a heifer that was never humiliated in plowing the land or watering the crops; free from any blemish." They said, "Now you have brought the truth." They finally sacrificed her, after this lengthy reluctance.272 You had killed a person, then disputed among yourselves. God was to expose what you tried to conceal.
273 We said, "Strike (the victim) with part (of the heifer)." That is when God brought the victim back to life, and showed you His signs, that you may understand.274 Despite this, your hearts hardened like rocks, or even harder. For there are rocks from which rivers gush out. Others crack and release gentle streams, and other rocks cringe out of reverence for God. God is never unaware of anything you do.
My questions
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Are 267-71 and 272-74 within 'the same story'?
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Striking a dead body with part of heifer and the dead body came back to life (the sense that I got from 'traditional' translation) seems very odd AND this particular story had no parallel whatsoever in the Torah or even Talmud. Upon close examination of 272-73 the literal translation should be
272 And when you killed a soul and you disputed concerning it, but God is is the one who shall brought forth what you were concealing.
273 And we said strike him with part of her/it, like this/as this God revive the dead and shows you His signs perhaps you may think.
Which doesn't clearly shows that who is being stroke and with what (part of sacrificed heifer??))
Does anybody has explanation on this verse?
As the story of "Moses reviving the dead by striking the dead body with (remains of a ) heifer" is nowhere to be found within Torah, Bible, Talmud, Gemarra, non-canonical books or other Jewish sources.. If such event does occurs... the jews most certainly retained the story somehow (as it shows yet another glorious aspect of Moses as prophet) and repeat the same practices quite often.. (reviving dead body by striking it with heifer)
Salam / Peace
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Jafar,
I have no idea. ) This may be related
Deuteronomy 21 If someone is found slain, lying in a field in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess, and it is not known who the killer was, 2 your elders and judges shall go out and measure the distance from the body to the neighboring towns. 3 Then the elders of the town nearest the body shall take a heifer that has never been worked and has never worn a yoke 4 and lead it down to a valley that has not been plowed or planted and where there is a flowing stream. There in the valley they are to break the heifer?s neck. 5 The Levitical priests shall step forward, for the LORD your God has chosen them to minister and to pronounce blessings in the name of the LORD and to decide all cases of dispute and assault. 6 Then all the elders of the town nearest the body shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley, 7 and they shall declare ?Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it done. 8 Accept this atonement for your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, LORD, and do not hold your people guilty of the blood of an innocent person.? Then the bloodshed will be atoned for, 9 and you will have purged from yourselves the guilt of shedding innocent blood, since you have done what is right in the eyes of the LORD.
Perhaps this passage, and the passage in the Quran, are tied to an incident where a murder victim was found between towns, and they argued over who was guilty of the death. My question is what would happen if the elders of the closest town lied? Maybe something happened where the elders lied under the oath of the slain heifer, and God brought the person back to life to testify against them.
Other than that, I've got nothing. )
Peace,
Joel