Dr Simon Reads...

Additions to Esther 10-16 Why A Queen’s Regalia Are Like A Used Sanitary Towel. Welcome to the next instalment of An Atheist Explores Sacred Texts (Apocrypha version). In this series I work my way chapter-by-chapter through the Old Testament Apocrypha, commenting on it from the point of view of the text as literature and mythology. For more detail, see the introductory post http://bit.ly/3aEJ6Q5 For the online KJV I use, see here http://bit.ly/2m0zVUP And now: Esther   10 “ A little fountain became a river, and there was light, and the sun, and much water: this river is Esther, whom the king married, and made queen” To briefly summarise Esther so far, King Ahasueris (Ataxerxes) of “Persia” becomes annoyed by his wife Vashti and ships her off elsewhere, turning to a contest to find the finest maiden in all the land. Within Ahasueris’ employment is a Jew called Mordecai, who puts forward his “ uncle’s daughter ” Esther for consideration. Of course, Esther wins over Ahasu

Judith 11-16 Judith Goes Full Black Widow. Welcome to the next instalment of An Atheist Explores Sacred Texts (Apocrypha version). In this series I work my way chapter-by-chapter through the Old Testament Apocrypha, commenting on it from the point of view of the text as literature and mythology. For more detail, see the introductory post http://bit.ly/3aEJ6Q5 For the online KJV I use, see here http://bit.ly/2m0zVUP And now: Judith 11 “ Then said Holofernes unto her, Woman, be of good comfort, fear not in thine heart: for I never hurt any that was willing to serve Nabuchodonosor, the king of all the earth.” Holfernes receives Judith and offers her sanctuary if she is willing to serve, to which Judith replies “ Receive the words of thy servant, and suffer thine handmaid to speak in thy presence, and I will declare no lie to my lord this night ”, which I suspect is going to be a literal truth at best. Judith then goes on to explain that the God of the Israelites will only

Judith 6-10 In Which God Now Approves of Lying and Jewellery. Welcome to the next instalment of An Atheist Explores Sacred Texts (Apocrypha version). In this series I work my way chapter-by-chapter through the Old Testament Apocrypha, commenting on it from the point of view of the text as literature and mythology. For more detail, see the introductory post http://bit.ly/3aEJ6Q5 For the online KJV I use, see here http://bit.ly/2m0zVUP And now: Judith 6 “ And who art thou, Achior, and the hirelings of Ephraim, that thou hast prophesied against us as to day, and hast said, that we should not make war with the people of Israel, because their God will defend them? and who is God but Nabuchodonosor?” “And who are you, the proud lord said, that I must bow so low?” It didn’t end well for Lord Reyne of Castamere, and I doubt it will end well for Holofernes, who is angry at Achior and as punishment has him bound and sent into the Jewish settlement of Bethulia, to die with the Hebre

Judith 1-5 The Conquests of Holofernes. Welcome to the next instalment of An Atheist Explores Sacred Texts (Apocrypha version). In this series I work my way chapter-by-chapter through the Old Testament Apocrypha, commenting on it from the point of view of the text as literature and mythology. For more detail, see the introductory post http://bit.ly/3aEJ6Q5 For the online KJV I use, see here http://bit.ly/2m0zVUP And now: Judith 1 “ Even in those days king Nabuchodonosor made war with king Arphaxad in the great plain, which is the plain in the borders of Ragau.” This first chapter of Judith is a bit of scene-setting, and a bit of an info-dump. Nabuchadnezzar (I shall continue to use that spelling and not this version that seems to be common to the Apocrypha) is king of Assyria, and goes to war with Arhpaxad, king of Ecbatane. We get a three verses remorselessly describing the scale of the defences of Ecbatane - “ And he made the gates thereof, even gates that were raised