dhw:In all seriousness, though, we need to agree what level we wish to discuss things on. If the bible, like reality itself, is merely what we want it to be, all discussion becomes pointless.-The Jewish sages have spent over a thousand years developing commentaries on the bible. If one can look at the simple words for meanings, as you demand,why are they still producing commentaries? The bible is an allegory. There is more hidden in it than meets the simple eye.