THE ATHEIST'S COMPLAINT:
How many fighting men were there in Israel and Judah? 2 Samuel 24:9 says 800,000 and 500,000 respectively, while 1 Chronicles 21:5 says 1,100,000 and 470,000 respectively. Is there a contradiction?

RESPONSE:
Certainly, the number of fighting men as recorded in 2 Samuel differs from that which is reported in 1 Chronicles. The questioner assumes that the difference must be a contradiction between the two Bible texts. Though it appears to be so, let us consider a solution to this apparent discrepancy.

It is important to note the description of the people numbered. In 1 Chronicles 21, Joab tallies "...all Israel..." who were capable of bearing arms as 1,100,000 men. In 2 Samuel 24, Joab merely reports that there were "...in Israel..." (ie. not "all") 800,000 valiant men who drew the sword. The number in 1 Chronicles is composed of the 800,000 given in 2 Samuel 24, plus the 300,000 men who were commissioned as a militia for the king and the twelve princes (1 Chronicles 27:1-24).

Regarding the men of Judah who drew the sword, 1 Chronicles 21 reports 470,000, while the parallel text in 2 Samuel 24:9 numbers the Judean fighting men as 500,000. The difference can be accounted for in the men who were stationed by David at the frontier of Philistia (2 Samuel 6:1).

There is no contradiction.

This article is a response to Skeptic's Annotated Bible, but original article is no longer listed

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