(Quoting the 2008 Zondervan NIV Study Bible)
God sends two bears to rip up 42 little children for making fun of Elisha's bald head.
"Since Bethel was the royal religious center of the northern kings, and Elijah and Elisha were known to frequent Samaria (perhaps even as their main residence), the youths from Bethel no doubt assumed that Elisha was going up to Samaria to continued Elijahs struggle against royal apostasy. Baldness was uncommon among the ancient Jews, and luxuriant hair seems to have been viewed as a sign of stregnth and vigor. By calling Elisha 'baldhead', the youths brom Bethel expressed that city's utter disdain for the Lord's representative, who, they felt, had no power."
Elisha pronounced a curse similar to the covenant curse of Lev 26:21-22. The result gave warnning of the judgment that would come on the entire nation should it persist in disobedience and apostasy. Thus Elisha's first acts were indicative of his minstry that would follow: God's covenant blessings would come to thos who looked to him, but God's covenant curses would fall on those who turned away from him."
You must hate your father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yourself, and carry a cross on your back to become a disciple.
"A vivid hyperbole, meaning that one must love Jesus even more than one's immediate family."
"Jesus did not want a blind, naive commitment that expected only blessings. As a builder estimates cost or a king evaluates military stregnth so people must consider what Jesus expects of his followers before they commit their lives to him."
Sell your clothes for a sword.
"Previous instructions (9:3, 10:4), Until now they had been dependent on generous hospitality, but future opposition would require them to be prepared to pay their own way. '
buy one' An extreme figure of speech used to warn them of the perilous times about to come. They would need defense and protection, as Paul did when he appealed to Caesar as the one whom God authorized to 'bear the sword'.
Beat your children"Parents are conseled to discipline their children so that they do not persist in foolish ways that can only lead to their destruction. Discipline "Imparts wisdom" and promotes a healthy and happy family. It is rooted in love."
Moses's Vengence"The Lord declares was against the Midianites as one of Moses' last actions before the end of his life. Moses was not motivated by petty jealousy; rather, the war was 'the Lord's Vengence" for the Midianites' part in seducing the Israelites to engage in sexual immorality and to worship the Baal of Peor. (See 25:16-128, where the specific mention of Cozbi, a Midianite woman, heightens the anger expressed in ch. 31.)"
God & SlaveryThis entire block was taken out of context. It was written in direction when one of the Israelite's countrymen is ppor and sells himself to you.
Old Testament Counts"Taken together, "the Law" and "the Prophets" designated the entire OT, including the Writings, the third section of the Hebrew Bible. See 13:35, where Matthew introduces a quotation from the Writings with "what was spoken through the prophet". Jesus fulfilled the Law in the sense that he gave it its full meaning. He emphazised its deep, underlying principles and total commitment to it rather than mere external acknowledgement and obedience."
Overall, you took these verses out of context and without understanding the meaning byhind them, or why they were written. Ironic that if anybody tried to do this with any other holy book of any religion, they would get slammed for being 'close minded', 'ignorant', etc, etc. Why can't we all just show a *little* bit of respect and decensey towards others beliefs?
