Watchtower doctrine: Judges 1:19 (God couldn't defeat the Iron Chariots)

southwest

This weeks assigned bible reading is Judges 1-4. I have never noticed Judges 1:19 before which reads in the NWT as:

Jehovah was with Judah, and they took possession of the mountainous region, but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the plain,* because they had war chariots with iron scythes

but in the KJ as:

And the LORD was with Judah; and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron.

I cannot find the official Watchtower doctrine on the meaning of this verse which says clearly that God cannot defeat iron chariots. Does anyone know of any old articles that may discuss this?

Also, is the NWT version a deliberate mistranslation or a legitimate translation option?

Thanks!

cappytan

Additional Translations/Versions (for reference):

Byington: "and Jehovah was with Judah, and they took possession of the highland - for they were not able to dispossess the inhabitants of the vale, because they had iron chariots,"

American Standard Version: "And Jehovah was with Judah; and drove out the inhabitants of the hill-country; for he could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron."

cofty

The Almighty can't deal with iron chariots - its like his kryptonite.

The iron chariot scripture is one of the verses that I cite in my personalized list of Bible contradictions. Here is my whole list. As for the Watchtower, they're not going to bother to respond to obvious contradictions.

southwest

Ha! Top of reddit / exjw at the moment:

http://imgur.com/xAe2NSz

This was what got me thinking what the official WT position is.

southwest

Thanks Village Idiot :)

_Morpheus

Either way you translate its the same net result. Either the desert couldnt drive them out or the people the desert god was backing couldnt drive them out... But he could make the walls of jerico fall.....? In egypt he could take the wheels of the chariots... But not now...? None of it makes sense because its all legend and folklore.

DesirousOfChange

Just another WTF moment!

Why didn't we see any of this when we were fully "in"?

Doc

Village Idiot

Was Jehovah strong enough for these chariots?

prologos

Jehovah's chariot had eyes in the wheels, not swords, The word may be mightier than s-words, but eyes are not.

eye-eye .

Watchtower doctrine: Judges 1:19 (God couldn't defeat the Iron Chariots)

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