Okay, this is quite an old article, but I chose to comment on it anyway. November 5, 1993 someone asks “Are there any jokes in the Bible?”
The only “joke” I ever came across was some name calling by the Jews. “Baalzebul” was a name the Philistines gave to their god, Baal. “Baalzebul” meaning “lord of the lofty dwelling”. The Jews would have of course disagreed with this position, so they instead refered to him as “Baalzebub”, which means “lord of the flies”.
Boy, I bet those Philistines were red in the face when they heard that one! I’m sure they made some perversions of “Yahweh,” but if they did, it didn’t stick. Philistines are gone, and Jews are doing quite well, so the Jews get to write that part of history.
This has always been my favorite joke in The Bible:
[1] Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.
[2] And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
[3] And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
[4] They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
[5] Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
[6] This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
[7] So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
[8] And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
[9] And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the penultimate: and Jesus was left with the adulterer and her lone accuser standing in the midst.
[10] And the accuser, spying a very large stone, stooped down, picked it up, and verily did cast it at the adulterer.
[11] And Jesus spake, “Mom, sometimes you really piss me off!”
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…And, for slapstick in the Bible, you might try the story of David and Goliath. David is going out to fight Goliath, King Saul insists that David wear heavy armour, but it’s too weighty and he falls flat on his face.