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It is written:
Psalm 139:13-17-For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. 17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!
The Bible teaches that life begins at conception-a concept which has been corroborated by science. This is, indeed, one reason why abortion is murder-the unjust taking of human life.
Nevertheless, many in our day and age believe and argue that the Bible advocates abortion. Let’s examine two of their arguments.
Not Alive Until You Breathe
The first argument stems from the words of Genesis:
Genesis 2:7-And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
It is argued that people are not really alive until they breathe on their own; and that therefore infants are not alive until they are born. As such, it is claimed that abortion is permissible since the infants in the womb are not truly “alive.”
However, there are numerous problems with this argument.
“Finally, abortion advocate Roy Bowen Ward argues that humans are uniquely defined as persons by the Hebrew term nephesh, which he equates with physical “breath.” Ward argues that Adam did not become a living soul until God breathed into him “the breath of life” through the nostrils (Gen. 2: 7). Because the unborn don’t yet breathe air through their nostrils, Ward contends that they are not valuable human beings. 21 Ward is wrong on three counts. First, some newborns do not breathe air through the nostrils until a couple of minutes after birth, which means that immediately upon delivery, the parents would be justified committing infanticide if it suits their preferences. Second, the unborn do in fact breathe long before birth, but through the umbilical cord rather than the nostrils. At birth, only the mode of breathing changes, like switching from AC to DC current. 22 Third, Ward’s breath argument doesn’t do the work he needs it to. All it proves is that any adults whom God immediately creates out of dirt are not alive until he breathes air into their nostrils. On that point I quite agree. However, since you and I were not immediately created as adults from raw dirt, but we began life in the womb, the verse cannot apply in that way to us; it is specific only to Adam. 23 Finally, Ward’s equation of nephesh with physical breath is sloppy exegesis. As J. P. Moreland and Scott Rae point out in their book Body and Soul, although the Hebrew word nephesh (“ soul”) primarily applies to human beings, “it is also used of animals (Genesis 1: 20, 9: 10) and of God himself (Judges 10: 16; Isaiah 1: 14). When the term is used of God, it certainly cannot mean physical breath or life, since God is an immaterial, transcendent self.” Furthermore, “There are passages where nephesh refers to the continuing locus of personal identity even after death—when breathing has long ceased.” (These include Gen. 35: 18; 1 Kings 17: 21; Pss. 16: 10; 30: 3; 49: 15; 86: 13; 139: 8.)” (Scott Klusendorf, The Case for Life: Equipping Christians to Engage the Culture, 258-259 (Kindle Edition): Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway)
Adam is a unique case, and does not justify abortion.
The Bitter Waters
In the Book of Numbers, God tells Moses about a test that may be administered to demonstrate whether or not a married woman has committed adultery. It is often referred to as the test of bitter waters.
Numbers 5:11-31-And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘If any man’s wife goes astray and behaves unfaithfully toward him, 13 and a man lies with her carnally, and it is hidden from the eyes of her husband, and it is concealed that she has defiled herself, and there was no witness against her, nor was she caught—. 14 if the spirit of jealousy comes upon him and he becomes jealous of his wife, who has defiled herself; or if the spirit of jealousy comes upon him and he becomes jealous of his wife, although she has not defiled herself—. 15 then the man shall bring his wife to the priest. He shall bring the offering required for her, one-tenth of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil on it and put no frankincense on it, because it is a grain offering of jealousy, an offering for remembering, for bringing iniquity to remembrance. 16 ‘And the priest shall bring her near, and set her before the LORD. 17 The priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel, and take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water. 18 Then the priest shall stand the woman before the LORD, uncover the woman’s head, and put the offering for remembering in her hands, which is the grain offering of jealousy. And the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that brings a curse. 19 And the priest shall put her under oath, and say to the woman, “If no man has lain with you, and if you have not gone astray to uncleanness while under your husband’s authority, be free from this bitter water that brings a curse. 20 But if you have gone astray while under your husband’s authority, and if you have defiled yourself and some man other than your husband has lain with you”. 21 then the priest shall put the woman under the oath of the curse, and he shall say to the woman—”the LORD make you a curse and an oath among your people, when the LORD makes your thigh rot and your belly swell; 22 and may this water that causes the curse go into your stomach, and make your belly swell and your thigh rot.” ‘Then the woman shall say, “Amen, so be it.” 23 ‘Then the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall scrape them off into the bitter water. 24 And he shall make the woman drink the bitter water that brings a curse, and the water that brings the curse shall enter her to become bitter. 25 Then the priest shall take the grain offering of jealousy from the woman’s hand, shall wave the offering before the LORD, and bring it to the altar; 26 and the priest shall take a handful of the offering, as its memorial portion, burn it on the altar, and afterward make the woman drink the water. 27 When he has made her drink the water, then it shall be, if she has defiled herself and behaved unfaithfully toward her husband, that the water that brings a curse will enter her and become bitter, and her belly will swell, her thigh will rot, and the woman will become a curse among her people. 28 But if the woman has not defiled herself, and is clean, then she shall be free and may conceive children. 29 ‘This is the law of jealousy, when a wife, while under her husband’s authority, goes astray and defiles herself, 30 or when the spirit of jealousy comes upon a man, and he becomes jealous of his wife; then he shall stand the woman before the LORD, and the priest shall execute all this law upon her. 31 Then the man shall be free from iniquity, but that woman shall bear her guilt.’ “
The Bible here describes a ritual known as the test of bitter waters. It was a test designed to investigate whether or not a woman had committed adultery. Advocates of abortion tell us that God here would use these waters to cause abortion if the woman was pregnant. Some translators believe that the phrase rendered in Numbers 5:27, “her belly will swell, her thigh will rot” (NKJV) communicates the idea of the woman having a miscarriage or abortion.
For example:
Numbers 5:27 (ERV)-If the woman has sinned against her husband, the water will bring her trouble. The water will go into her body and cause her much suffering. Any baby that is in her will die before it is born, and she will never be able to have children. All the people will turn against her.
Does this passage imply that God is causing miscarriages and abortions?
Not at all.
The first thing to notice is that the phrase translated “her belly swell, her thigh will rot” could suggest miscarriage but probably doesn’t. Indeed, much of the wording of this text is used elsewhere to describe both males and females!
“Skeptics claim that these verses prove that the God of the Old Testament condones abortion. One atheist wrote: “The verses appear to describe explicit divine support for abortion. In fact, the context in which it seems that Yahweh approves of abortion, is when a husband wishes to force his wife to terminate a pregnancy (even against her will) if he suspects he may not be the biological father.”1 Do these verses condone abortion?2 First, it is important to ask why the skeptic believes this passage discusses abortion. The bulk of the passage has to do with adultery and does not mention pregnancy at all. The accusation of condoning abortion is based primarily, if not entirely, on the final verses that say of the woman “your womb miscarry” and, “may this water that brings a curse enter your body so that your abdomen swells and your womb miscarries.” In truth, the NIV in this case provides an unfortunate and inaccurate translation of the terms in the passage. Compare how these terms from verses 21 and 22 are translated in other versions. NKJV: “when the Lord makes your thigh rot and your belly swell…and make your belly swell and your thigh rot.” KJV: “when the Lord doth make thy thigh to rot, and thy belly to swell…to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot.” ESV: “when the Lord makes your thigh fall away and your body swell…and make your womb swell and your thigh fall away.” ASV: “doth make thy thigh fall away, and thy body to swell…and make thy body to swell, and thy thigh fall away.” Notice that other translations say nothing about a miscarriage or miscarrying. The term that the NIV translates “womb” is yarek. This word actually means “thigh, loin, side, or base.”3 It can be used to describe both males and females. It is used in Genesis 32:25 to describe the area that God wounded on Jacob when they wrestled, described as “the socket of his hip” (NKJV). It obviously could not have been Jacob’s “womb.” Judges 3:16 contains the word, describing Ehud’s dagger that he fastened “on his right thigh.” Furthermore, the term translated “miscarry” is the Hebrew word naphal, which means, “to fall, waste away, rot.”4 It can be used as broadly as an animal falling into a pit (as in Exodus 21:33), a sword falling from one’s hand (Ezekiel 30:22), or a violent or untimely death (Judges 5:27). The word could possibly be used to describe the death of an unborn infant, but is not in any way confined to the idea of a miscarriage and should only be translated as such when there is a very clear connection to a baby. When the word describes what happens to “the thigh” (yarek), there is no verbal connection to any type of pregnancy or child and should not be translated as miscarriage, which is why the other major translations say, “thigh fall away,” “thigh rot,” etc. Furthermore, it should be noted that the curse is directed at the woman. It is her thigh that shall rot off if she is found guilty of adultery. It is her belly, abdomen, or middle section that will swell. In order to accuse God or the Israelites of condoning abortion, there must be a clear statement or connection to an unborn baby in the text. Needless to say, that connection does not exist. Thus, we can dismiss the accusation that this passage proves that God was instructing the Israelites to perform abortion…“The skeptic’s accusation that Numbers 5: 21–22 shows that God or the Israelites condoned abortion is groundless. The text never mentions a pregnancy, and the Hebrew terms having been translated “miscarry” or “miscarries” in the NIV is unfounded. The punishment for any adultery that took place is directed at the woman. And God’s involvement in the ceremony is necessary for it to have any significance. There was nothing in the water that would or could cause an abortion, cause sickness, or differentiate between a guilty or innocent person. Only the all-knowing God could manifest the woman’s guilt or innocence.” (From the Defending the Faith Study Bible, copyright © 2019 by Apologetics Press, Inc. Used by permission, 1003-1006 (Kindle Edition); Montgomery, AL: Apologetics Press Inc.).
There is nothing in the text too suggest that an abortion is taking place and being caused by the “bitter waters” test.
Second, it is also worth noting that the Jewish traditions recorded in the Mishna specifically forbid pregnant women from undergoing this test. Under the heading, “Women Who Cannot Drink The Water Of Bitterness,” we are told:
“2 These also may not drink and may not take their ketubbah: She who says: “I am defiled unto you”; and she about whom witnesses have testified that she is defiled; and she who says, “I will not drink.” If her husband says: “I will not make her drink”; or she whose husband has intercourse with her while on the way— she takes her ketubbah and may not drink. If their husbands died before their wives drank, the House of Shammai say: They take their ketubbah and may not drink; but the House of Hillel say: They may not drink and they may not take their ketubbah. 3 A woman pregnant with another man’s child, or a woman nursing another man’s child, may not drink and may not take her ketubbah— the words of R. Meir; but the Sages say: He may set her apart and take her back after a time. A sterile woman, an aged woman, and a woman without reproductive organs26 may not drink and may not take their ketubbah.” (Shaye J. D. Cohen Robert Goldenberg Hayim Lapin, The Oxford Annotated Mishnah, 234 (Kindle Edition): Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press)
Clearly, the waters of bitterness were not designed to cause abortion. The waters of bitterness were not even to be used on pregnant women! This is borne out both by the Bible text, and by Jewish rabbinical interpretation.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.