Big Ideas · 25 · The Soldier
Be fruitful, not a martyr
In Babylon's flood story Atrahasis, the gods send a flood because humans multiplied too much. In Genesis, God repeatedly commands humans to be fruitful and multiply.
For a small people, children are power.
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Genesis blames the flood on evil, not overpopulation. Abraham cares more about having a child than his military victory. Pharaoh fears Israel's growing numbers. Jacob's large family stands against Esau's 400 warriors.
Bible reference: Genesis 1:28; 9:1
Source: Why the Bible Began, pp. 401–402
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