Who incited David to count the fighting men of Israel?
a) God did (2 Samuel 24:1)
b) Satan did (1 Chronicles 21:1)
We learn in other places in the Bible that God intends to work good things in the same situation where Satan (or man) is working to produce something bad.
Joseph told his brothers:
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
Genesis 50:20
Likewise, when Jesus was crucified, Satan meant it for the destruction of the Son of God, (John 13:2, 1 Cor 2:8) but God ordained it to redeem mankind by the death of his son.(Acts 2:14-39)
Solution: Both God and Satan incited David to count the fighting men of Israel.
God did it to humble David and make him better. Satan did it to destroy David
How old was Ahaziah when he began to rule over Jerusalem?
a) Twenty two (2 Kings 8:26)
b) Forty two (2 Chronicles 22:2)
This is clearly a copyist error. If Ahaziah were 42, he would have been older than his own father.
A copyist error is not a contradiction. And we have lots of handwritten copies of Old Testament books and New Testament books.
How long did he (Jehoiachin) rule over Jerusalem?
a) Three months (2 Kings 24:8)
b) Three months and 10 days (2 Chronicles 36:9)
Three months and 10 days is approximately three months.
Note: the author of 2 Kings didn’t say “exactly” three months.
If you just turned 21 four months ago, do you say “I’m 21 years, four months?” You probably just say “I’m 21.”
One author decided to be more precise than the other. That’s all.
You have two slightly different viewpoints from two different authors.
Bible critics -when two books of the Bible agree completely- like to claim one author copied the other.
Here the two authors have a slightly different viewpoint and they claim a contradiction.
Some people are determined to disagree no matter what.
The chief of the mighty men of David lifted up his spear and killed how many men at one time?
a) Eight hundred (2 Samuel 23:8)
b) Three hundred (1 Chronicles 11:11)
Both are correct. Yes. Both 800 and 300 are correct.
But how?
A careful reading shows that there is approximately a 30-year difference between the two claims.
These are two different chiefs at two different times. The chief in 1 Chronicles 11:11 is Jashobeam -a Hacmonite.
He raised his spear against 300 men at the beginning of David’s reign.
The other chief was Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite.
He raised his spear against 800 men and his exploits are recorded after the Last Words of David just a few verses earlier in the same chapter.
One is near the beginning of David’s reign. The other is near the end of David’s reign.
And these men have two different names and come from two different families.
At the end of David’s reign he was an old man -and in no shape to fight. So his chief from 30 years prior would -by that time- have been replaced by a younger warrior.
When I say “a careful reading” all I mean is any reasonable person can simply read the passages and immediately come to the conclusion it is two different people.
This doesn’t require an advanced degree. No special Biblical knowledge needed.
You don’t have to have a degree in Biblical Hebrew.
An elementary school-aged child can read the passage and easily come to the correct conclusion.
The contradictionists embarrass themselves again and again.
When did David bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem? Before defeating the Philistines or after?
a) After (2 Samuel 5 and 6)
b) Before (1 Chronicles 13 and 14)
This is one of those places where it’s really awkward to be a contradictionist.
It’s one of those “contradictions” that makes you wonder if these guys even bothered to read the Bible before they came up with this stuff.
It’s downright painful to watch them do this to themselves.
Let’s take a look at these passages and see if they really contradict.
When reading 2 Samuel 5 and 6, it’s completely clear and straightforward that David brings the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem AFTER defeating the Philistines.
Now let’s look at 1 Chronicles 13 and 14.
David begins bringing the Ark to Jerusalem, but only gets as far as the threshing floor of Kidon after the tragic death of Uzzah.
David leaves the Ark there, and AFTER he defeats the Philistines, he then brings the ark to Jerusalem.
The contradictionists are sloppy and factually wrong. You wonder if they even read the whole passage.
How many pairs of clean animals did God tell Noah to take into the Ark?
a) Two. (Genesis 6:19, 20)
b) Seven (Genesis 7:2) But despite this last instruction only two pairs went into the ark.
Once again, contradictionist sloppiness abounds.
Genesis 6:19-20 refers to 2 of every animal. It never mentions the clean animals, so it’s obviously just about the unclean animals.
When we turn over to Genesis 7:2, we see God’s instruction to Noah to bring in 7 pairs of clean animals:
“Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and his mate, and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and his mate.” Genesis 7:2, ESV
How much clearer can it get than this? The passage clearly says 7 pairs of clean animals and “a pair” (one pair) of unclean animals.
Contradictionists commit another awkward blunder.
The Bible clearly tells them, but they can’t even tell the difference between clean and not clean when it’s right under their nose.
Is this an innocent error? Or something else?
When it’s this easy to see through it, you’ve just got to wonder.
Milo 