A generation ago, it was reported that Readers Digest Condensed Books planned an edition of The Bible, provoking obvious jokes that it would cut three Commandments and four Apostles.
Now that I’m reading the thing, though, I do see where it could be shortened with little risk of offense.
- Genesis and Exodus contain several repeated genealogies.
- Exodus 36–39 could be summarized: “The tabernacle and its furnishings were made according to the detailed plans dictated to Moses by The LORD in chapters 25–27.” (I mostly skimmed over these chapters.)
- Leviticus 1–7, prescribing rituals of sacrifice for all occasions, could be put more concisely in table format, as could various parts of Numbers.
- Leviticus 13–14, concerning skin infections, may be obsolete.
- Leviticus 18:6–18 details varieties of incest, all equally forbidden, and could be collapsed with “or”.
- Joshua 13–21 mostly details the boundaries of the lands allotted to each of the tribes.
I will likely add to this later.
In some places the repetition makes me think the tale was relayed orally for some generations before being written.
Repetitive though it is, I would not omit any detail of Joshua’s genocide campaign. Really shows what The LORD is all about.