Investigation: Samuel and Chronicles, When Two Histories Differ

Journey of a Passage

• 2 Samuel 8:4; 10:18: Horsemen and chariots: Samuel, the Greek and Chronicles →In 8:4 the Hebrew has 1,700 horsemen; the library's Greek and 1 Chronicles 18:4 have 1,000 chariots and 7,000 horsemen. 4QSam-a is reported to agree with the Greek. In 10:18, Samuel has 700 chariots and 40,000 horsemen; Chronicles has 7,000 charioteers and 40,000 foot.
• 2 Samuel 21:19: Who killed Goliath? →The Hebrew says Elhanan son of Jaare-oregim, a Bethlehemite, killed Goliath the Gittite. 1 Samuel 17 says David killed him; 1 Chronicles 20:5 says Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi, Goliath's brother. The KJV adds "the brother of" in italics.
• 2 Samuel 23:8: The chief of the Three: 800 or 300? →The Hebrew of 23:8 is difficult: "Josheb-basshebeth a Tachmonite… he was Adino the Eznite, over eight hundred slain at one time." 1 Chronicles 11:11: "Jashobeam a Hachmonite… lifted up his spear against three hundred." The library's Greek calls him "Ishbosheth the Canaanite."
• 2 Samuel 24:1, 9: Who moved David to count the people? →"The anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David" (2 Samuel 24:1). "And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David" (1 Chronicles 21:1). The census totals also differ. These are two biblical histories, not two manuscripts.
• 2 Samuel 24:13: Seven years of famine, or three? →Gad offers David famine, flight or plague. The Hebrew of Samuel and the Vulgate say seven years of famine; the library's Greek and 1 Chronicles 21:12 say three, matching "three months" and "three days."
• 2 Samuel 24:24: Fifty shekels of silver, or six hundred of gold? →David buys "the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver" from Araunah. In 1 Chronicles 21:25 he gives Ornan "for the place six hundred shekels of gold." Different books, different amounts, different metals, and possibly different things bought.