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**1** – These (sacred) books were written over a period of about fifteen centuries or more. Most, or all, of the original texts are now lost. In addition, the authors of many of them are unknown; we do not know who copied them or when they were written. The existing copies are, at best, believed to have been taken from original manuscripts.
Can it then be said that the copyists of these later books made no mistakes—especially when it is said that these books were translated from Hebrew into other languages?
And was this translation—like what the Jews believed regarding the Septuagint—carried out through divine inspiration from God Almighty or not?
For this reason, I believe that the books and scriptures of the Old Testament that we possess today cannot be relied upon with absolute certainty, nor can we be assured that errors did not find their way into them. The *Bible Dictionary* states:
“All that has reached us are copies taken from the original. Although the scribes took great care with these copies, some very minor scribal slips were bound to enter them.” (1)
At the very least, there is doubt as to whether the existing copies are identical to the original manuscripts. This is why we see disagreements among biblical scholars regarding these books.
(1) *Bible Dictionary*, p. 763.
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**2** – As believers in God and His messages, despite differences in sects and religions, we believe that the prophets of God are among the best of humanity. Therefore, we can say that they are righteous and, at the very least, protected from legislative sins and major wrongdoing.
However, unfortunately, in these books we find in many places that such great sins and immoral acts are attributed to these great prophets—such as drinking wine, committing incest, and other matters that any honorable believer would refuse even to think about, let alone practice. I will mention some examples, and whoever wishes to expand on this may consult the Old Testament.
The Old Testament reports that the Prophet Lot (peace be upon him) drank wine, became intoxicated, and then committed the sin of incest with those whom he was forbidden to marry (his daughters), who then conceived by him (see: Genesis 19:1–38).
Likewise, it is reported about the Prophet Solomon (peace be upon him), who was filled with wisdom, that the later years of his reign were unfortunate. He began to multiply wives and loved many women besides Pharaoh’s daughter (his wife). He had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines, who turned his heart toward foreign gods, even leading him to build places for idol worship to please them, so the Lord became angry with him (see: 1 Kings 11:1–25).
There is also the story of the Prophet Noah (peace be upon him), where the Old Testament reports that he made intoxicating drink, drank it, and became drunk, exposing his nakedness before his sons, who then covered him (see: Genesis 9:1–29).
And the story of Jacob wrestling with the Lord, among other stories, leads us to believe that some alterations have entered these scriptures. This drives us to think that the Old Testament as it exists today—at the very least—is not entirely divine revelation.
In addition to this, there are some strange stories that reason rejects. For example, prophets appearing naked:
“While Saul was on his way there, the Spirit of God came upon him and he prophesied along the way. He also stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel, and lay naked all that day and night. That is why people say: ‘Is Saul also among the prophets?’” (see: 1 Samuel 19:20–24).
Also in Isaiah (20:1–6), the prophet Isaiah walked naked and barefoot for three years; likewise, the captives of Egypt would be led away naked and barefoot with their buttocks exposed, and many other such accounts.
**3** – Another matter that can be mentioned is the abundance of contradictions within these texts. In a single story, for example, some books contradict others; indeed, even within the same book we find contradictions.
In the Book of Genesis, regarding the story of Noah and the Ark, it is reported that he was commanded to take with him two of every living creature, male and female (see: Genesis 6:19–20). Yet in the same book he is commanded to take seven pairs, male and female (see: Genesis 7:2–3).
There are many similar examples throughout the books of the Old Testament, which leads us to say that these scriptures are the product of human imagination and cannot be accepted as divine revelation.
I will suffice with this brief discussion about the Old Testament, hoping—God willing—to examine it independently and in greater detail in the near future.
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