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Mistakes in the Bible...?

May God bless you sebi, it was your question, and it has been a pleasure for me to start a study of these passages to try and give you an answer. I intend to finish this study, and I would like others to study and comment too. These passages are bursting with incredible implications and applications: so many I don't know how to get them all in here all by myself...pray for me brother, and thankyou...DGB
 
being new to these forums i first want to say hello and God Bless.

aftewr reading your question i started looking in my parrallel Bible and found some interesting footnotes. every version has its human fallacies and most are just what words of the modern day were chosen by the translators to best fit the original greek or hebrew words which did not have a "literal" translation. sometimes it also depends on what sources the translators use to get there translations. in 2 Samuel 24:13 i jave both 3 abd seven listed accross my pages in the KJV, NIV, NLT, and the NAS, but also a footnote at the bottom of the page stating that in the original Greek it was 3 and in the Hebrew it was 7. the differences are coming from where the translators are taking there "original" from. scribes in the ancient times were human also and the mistakes made during translations are usually minor and of no real merit. i can see where you would have doubts, but thyis is only a number and it comes from where they took their original. since the old testament was written in the hebrew i would consider that language the more sound translation.

i hope i have been of some help.

may God Bless and give you Peace
 
if ya read the first verse i both chapters its clear .if any man lacks wisdom let him ask of god :-)
 
In "Antiquities of the Jews", Josephus chronicles these events, (Bk7, ch.12-14), a total of 6 pages. Written around 93 ad., he too saw the 7 years as continuous with the previous 3+ years. Interestingly his tally figures are different than both the biblical figures, which suggests to me that the original census documents were ambiguous themselves in their unfinished state. A very good reason for this may also point up part of the trespass involved in this census; Exodus 30:12 required a half shekel Tax to be appropriated for each counted man: (This was not done--money would have been an exact count--lacking that, nothing could be substantiated) Josephus records this as the cause of the offence against the covenant that warranted Gods action. Lastly Josephus notes how that in David’s final choice he put himself on a par with the rest of the people, not seeking any advantage he might have had as a rich and mighty ruler with forts to hide in and an army to protect. It's a good read. I suggest it.

I have been fallowing W.D. Crockett's "A Harmony of Samuel Kings and Chronicles" for placement of the major events surrounding this event. Though Absalom revolt precedes this event in the texts, Crockett has them occurring just after this. Josephus fallows the biblical order of events. But the point that there is in David's reign many enemies at this time is valid, and would weigh on his decision of chastisements. I think Crockett is correct but he doesn’t site his reasons. There is evidence of priestly orders in these earlier chapters which presuppose the priestly arrangements David makes fallowing this event. I recommend both these study tools.
 
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David Chooses

13And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the LORD; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.
14So the LORD sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men. (1 Chronicles 21)

14And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man.
15So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men. (2 Samuel 24)

“Me” in the satanic machination thread contrasts with “us” in the covenant cause thread. Here we see David’s intersession: Satan against Israel: David puts himself on the line, “me”. God against Israel: David takes the place of Moses and later Daniel by identifying with Israel, “us”. David here is a picture of Christ; this is the stance our Lord takes in these two scenarios with us. 70,000 agree in both; here is the tally that counts. Lastly the covenant wrath element has a temporal and a regional element added, “From morning even to the time appointed,” and “from Dan even to Beersheba.”

Oh! How Jesus Christ bore God’s wrath in our place being made his own self, “me”, in our peace, bearing in his own body the guilt of our sins. And oh! How he has imputed his righteousness to our accounts, “us”, that Satan might have naught against us before God, so that the accuser of the brethren might be cast down.
 
The Angel Is Stopped

15And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.
16And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
17And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O LORD my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued. (2 Chronicles 21)

16And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.
17And David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house. (2 Samuel 24)

Here we see the two threads advanced by The LORD’S halting of the Angel over the future temple mount area, Ornan’s/Araunah’s threshing floor/place. Plus, we see David’s intercessory response. In the satanic machination motif: David is with the elders clothed together in the sackcloth of repentance falling on their faces, and in the covenant wrath motif David alone is singled out. The actual words of interposition are virtually the same, with “But not on thy people, that they should be plagued,” occurring in the machination thread.

David in the office of King intercedes: his virtue and governmental authority appears in Chronicles, whereas, his lonely address shines out of Samuel. Both texts put Yahweh’s, “repented Him of the evil” before David’s response, but this detracts nothing from the intersession: for even Christ came not into the world to do his own will, but the will of the father who sent him. This too prefigures Christ.
 
An alter unto the LORD

18Then the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and set up an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.
19And David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spake in the name of the LORD.
20And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat.
21And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshingfloor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground.
22Then David said to Ornan, Grant me the place of this threshingfloor, that I may build an altar therein unto the LORD: thou shalt grant it me for the full price: that the plague may be stayed from the people. (1 Chronicles 21)

18And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite.
19And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded.
20And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground.
21And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people. (2 Samuel 24)

In these verses the Devine directions for the Alter unto the LORD are conveyed to David, who then initiates their completion. Verse 18 in both threads relays the conveyance of God’s will to David. Verse 19 in both relates David’s immediate action. The last verse in each accounts David’s offer and requirement of Ornan/Araunah the Jebusite. The verses preceding that show Ornan’s/Auranah’s reaction to the halted angle and to David’s approach. Again these two accounts can be woven together into one long account. There is in the Chronicle’s a governmental official-ness as apposed to the more personal, David perspective, in 2 Samuel. Details like the Angel to Gad to David in Satan’s machination motif officialize, kingdomize, the remedy, and David’s subordinate obedience shines out. In Samuel’s divine wrath crisis, the personal David moves in the virtue of his own character, and David’s heart obedience shines out. Again both true perspectives on the same event. Ornan and his 4 sons are hiding at the sight of the slaying angel which adds intensity to the machination thread. And in the LORD’S wrath thread David himself conveys that intensity. We have here serious offences, serious consequences, and serious remedy; and these two different views give a 3D depth to it all. That we obey God as servants does not negate that we delight as kings to do his will. He has made us willing in the day of salvation. Oh the manifold grace of God!
 
The Purchase

23And Ornan said unto David, Take it to thee, and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes: lo, I give thee the oxen also for burnt offerings, and the threshing instruments for wood, and the wheat for the meat offering; I give it all.
24And king David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily buy it for the full price: for I will not take that which is thine for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings without cost.
25So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight. (1 Chronicles 21)

22And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood.
23All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee.
24And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. (2 Samuel 24)

Differences in these two accounts: 1) Ornan is not noted as an independent king in the Satan’s rage thread, but is noted so in the covenant wrath thread. 2) Minor variations in the dialogues that can be combined into one longer discourse. And 3) The amounts exchanged are vastly different in kind and value.

As to the first: Ornan’s king status is not relevant to the subordinate obedience in the vicarious interposition of David and His sacrifice to defeat Satan. King Araunah is relevant in the covenant wrath motif, where David as king of Israel treats with Araunah king of Jebus: king to king. The covenant of the LORD with Israel has reference to many areas of their relations to their neighbors. But in a rescue mission against the attacks of the hater of Israel’s souls it is more: Israel the apple of Gods eye and Gods jealous interposition that captures the Chronicler’s interest. Just as sin is many faceted in its effects, so the remedy is many faceted in its application. There is nothing odd in this.

As to the second: these minor variations not only advance the two motifs, but they also may resolve the largest difference evident in the currency and amounts exchanged. Personal cost is relevant in each, though it seams that equity before God has also added to it Justus before man in Samuel. The differences here are essential to the two themes.

Now to the Third: 600 shekels of gold is vastly different from 50 shekels of silver. Assuming, which may not be the case, that a shekel is a standard weight, and that gold is more valuable than silver, we would have a great price indicated in Chronicles and a much smaller price in Samuel. If David bought this place and the implements for 600 shekels gold and 50 shekels silver there is no problem: 600 for the place emphasized in chronicles plus 50 for the oxen added to the place in Samuel. Why would the place and implements stand out in the one, and the oxen in the other? Jerusalem and the temple built here would become relevant to God’s jealous love of Israel: How often would I gather you as hen does her chicks? Also the oxen as an offering are directly relevant to divine justice: Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin.
 
I must say, I am nearing the end of this study, and these differences have not dounted my faith. I find no coppist errors nor transmition or human faults. Why do people so redily admit, "Oh, there are errors in these texts"? I find that God is wiser than me, and when I had assumed that going into this study, I found that, yes, he is, and that he teaches me great things that I know not. Some disparaging comments appear in this thread, comments unworthy of the good people that wrote them. I just want to testify here that sebi's question and this discussion is not in vane. A lot of these, "Text is corrupted," doubting statements are just repeeted words other people have said repeeting others who doubt to begin with even if they are studied. Not a good methodology, unbelief. We need to all watch who we parrot. I no less than ye.
 
hey xDICEx, thank you for the study you shared with us here. I really must say that when i first posted this i never thought i would get so much help and insight. I learned one very important thing here. That even when things don't seem to make any sense (like this passage first seemed) it's not because the Bible i have is wrong or anything, but more likely because i don't have the necessary information to interpret it or the Spirits guidance. I hope I’ll never make this kind of mistake again…
 
Sebi, your comments put tears of joy in my heart. May our great God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ complete the good work he has begun in you, and make you to stand before the pressence of His great glory with exceeding joy. Into the ages of the ages, unto the only wise God be glory, dominion, and power: may His kingdome come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Thank you again sebi, God bless you brother. ...DGB
 
Conclusion of The Matter

26And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.
27And the LORD commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.
28At that time when David saw that the LORD had answered him in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there.
29For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of the burnt offering, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon.
30But David could not go before it to enquire of God: for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the LORD. (1 Chronicles 21)

25And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel. (2 Samuel 24)

Verse 25 in Samuel’s convent anger account is the conclusion of his book. Yahweh is entreated for the land, and the plague is stayed from Israel. David’s intercessory sacrifice satisfies the covenant, and foreshadows Christ offering of himself as the lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. David’s greater son will one day, as David did, interpose himself between God’s covenant anger and Israel’s sin at personal cost exceeding silver and gold. His rights as King of kings extending through the merits of his offering will turn, gather, and reinstate all Israel as his people in Jerusalem, Israel, and the among the nations. To say nothing of the mystery of the church gathered from every nation to be his bride.

Verses 26-30 in the chronicler’s Satan stood up against Israel account, there is a little more to say. Here David calls upon the name of the Yahweh; fire comes down out of heaven like with Elijah later; the angel responds to Yahweh’s command; his great sword is sheathed; David realizes that offerings are accepted here; precedence for the change of buildings and place is laid in David’s mind and heart. Here is where the “alter unto the LORD” is, and here will be the temple that replaces the tent. David’s greater son will do likewise and interpose himself between God and Israel to assuage the machinations of Satan’s anti-Christ cutting the time short. His sacrifice accepted, he has the kingly right to forgive, cleanse, and deliver, but the fire he brings will be against and to the destruction of Satan’s minions, and kindle hell for him, the beast, and the false prophet. And the new precedent will be the bride and the New Jerusalem coming down from the Father of lights. And the new temple will be that which He destroyed and rebuilt in 3 days. So take that you old deceiver, murderer and liar from the beginning. You are defeated. You will burn. God’s controversy with his people is solved in the fires of his wrath upon their substitute, and there mingled with his infinite mercy. Yours is without mercy. And every one who has not laid their hands upon this lambs head by faith shall join you there with your man’s mark on their head or hand. Our king is great.
 
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sebi said:
First of all, hello to everyone - i'm pretty new around here...

i've got a question about some dates about David.
It's about two verses: 1 Chronicles 21:11, 12 and 2 Samuel 24:13.
In one place David has to choose between 3 years of famine and 3 months... 3days…, and in the other he has to choose between 7 years of famine, 3 months... 3 days…

but these passages refer to the same incident, so why is there this difference?

And if it's just a translation error, why would God allow this to happen to His word?
In the NIV Bible, the citation in 2 Sam 24:13 Is three years, not sevn years. Could be a printer's error in the Bible copy you have.

SLE
 
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mymakersdaughter said:
So you want a human opinion on these verses then right? Okay, here's my personal opinion Big Deal. A number may have been switched or whatever, in the eternal picture it doesn't make a difference. Did you read the part in the Bible where it say's that Jesus died for our sins? That's my favourite part. Opinions are easy. Want any more opinions? I got lots. :)
I understand your frustration, but I must point out that detail-oriented people like Sebi will tread such paths on their way to relationship with Jesus.

I have the honor of mentoring a young man of similar personality in a recovery program and he is indeed a challenge sometimes. However, I'm very proud of him because he is truly "growing in the Lord."
 
Hello sebe, slead, et all. Just reread this thread. It is long, but good reading. I hope the question is fitly answered: These differences are not errors, but intenionaly given by One and the same Holy Spirit, and accuratly coppied by faithful scribes. There is so much in these chapters I see now, had sebe never asked the question, I had never done the work to find out. May God bless you all as he has transfered to you a reliable, accurate, and authoritative copy of his very words.
 
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