Bible Questions & Answers Archive 

Contradiction in the Size of Army?
By Dr. Max D. Younce
0016 

 Question 

In I Chronicles 21:5, the army is numbered as 1,100,000 men of Israel and 470,000 from Judah. The same account is given in II Samuel 24:9 where Israel numbers 800,000 and Judah 500,000. An atheist told me that this proves God contradicts Himself?

 Answer 

In II Samuel 24:9 we read "...and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand VALIANT men that drew the sword and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men." The key word is "valiant". The Hebrew is "chayil". The summary of the meaning of this word is, "a strong army, trained and ready for war, in other words, they are on ACTIVE DUTY.

Now notice in I Chronicles 21:5, "And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and a hundred thousand that drew sword: and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword." These could be enlisted into active duty, if needed; but were not on active duty at this time. Notice the Hebrew "chayil", translated "valiant" and meaning on active duty is not used of this group.

II Samuel 24:9 gives the number of soldiers on active duty while I Chronicles 21:5 gives the number of "reserves" that could be called up if needed.

The atheist is the contradiction, not the Word of God!