2 Samuel 24.1 and 1
Chronicles 21.1: Contradiction?
·
Three ways this has been handled:
o Harmonize
the two accounts
o The
two accounts are contradictory; the Chronicler is seeking to replace the idea
in 2 Samuel 24.1 (more liberal view; not compatible with high view of
Scripture)
o Chronicle
account is an interpretation of the Samuel account
§
We will look at the first and third ways to
handle the issue
·
Harmonized Accounts
(1) “The most probable sequence in our passages runs like this:
-God is angry with Israel's sin (and David's
handling of the royal family issues).
-Satan sees his opportunity, accuses them of
wrongdoing, and wins approval to inflict David's and Israel's wrongdoing back
on themselves.
-God, knowing that the punishment is well
deserved, that the example of correction/contrition on David's part will be
recorded in Scripture forever as an example, and that He will be gracious
'ahead of schedule' and reveal the site of his temple/crucifixion, agrees to
turn David and Israel over to him, for this specific punishment (cf. I Cor
5.5).
-Satan, with this permission from God, moves
David to begin the Census.” Glenn
Miller http://christianthinktank.com/hcensus.html
(2) “[T]he Chronicles account and the Samuel
account merely reflect two aspects of the same incident. Satan was the immediate cause of
David’s action, but, theologically speaking, God was the ultimate cause in that
He did not prevent the incident from occurring. In other words, it was actually Satan who instigated the
pride and ambition that led David to increase the size of his army, perhaps
unnecessarily.” John J. Davis and
John C. Whitcomb Israel: A Commentary on
Joshua-2 Kings p. 322
(3)
“24:1
This verse indicates that God’s anger incited David to take a census which was
not in the Lord’s will, yet 1 Ch 21:1 states that it was Satan who led David to
take this wrongful action. The two statements would not be considered
contradictory in the ancient Israelite way of thinking. The writer of 2 Sm
affirms that God is the ultimate ruler of the universe; every event is subject
to His authority. If even king David, despite his strength and intelligence,
could be led into a foolish decision, the Lord’s hand is still involved (cp. Ps
76:10). Satan, too, is subject to God’s complete control (cp. Jb 1:6–12). In
His position as Sovereign over all, God used one of His created beings—in this
case Satan—to bring about judgment on another. People have the authority to
resist Satan (Jms 4:7) but David declined to do so, and thus experienced the
consequence in the effects of God’s wrath (cp. Rm 1:18).[1]
· Interpretation: Chronicles interprets the Samuel account
o “The Chronicler’s
version of 2 Sam 24:1 appears, then as an attempt to bring an interpretation to
that passage that draws both on the terminology and themes of the biblical
sources themselves. The sense, as
the Chronicler saw it, was that David had sinned and, as in the days of old and
Solomon’s kingdom after him, Israel was threatened by invasion from their
enemies because of the disobedience of their leaders.” John H. Sailhamer “1 Chronicles 21:1—A
Study in Inter-Biblical Interpretation” Trinity
Journal 10:1 (Spring, 1989),
p. 43
o Language issues:
§ “anger of the LORD
burned against Israel”
· 2 Sam 24.1: Judges 2.14
· Similar
expression: Judges 2.20; 3.8; 10.7; 2 Kings 13.3; 23.26
o “As these passages
show, when the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, it resulted in the
Lord’s giving them over to their enemies.” (Ibid., pp. 41-42)
§ “satan”: “adversary”-- no definite
article thus not the supernatural being known as Satan in the NT
· Note: “satan” in
Job 1-2 and Zech 3.1-2 has definite article (“the satan”)
· 1 Kings 5.4; 1
Kings 11.9-14, 23, 25; 1 Sam 29.4; 2 Sam 19.23
· “It is more
likely, however, that the lack of an article was intended to show that
‘adversary’ in 1 Chronicles 21 was to be distinguished from the being Satan
(always written with an article) and associated with Israel’s historical
enemies, who are always referred to without the article.” (Ibid., p. 42)
Bibliography:
Gleason Archer Encyclopedia of
Bible Difficulties (Zondervan, 1982), pp. 186-188. (H)
Greg Boyd God At War: The Bible
and Spiritual Conflict (IVP, 1997), pp. 153-154. (H)
John J. Davis and John C. Whitcomb Israel:
A Commentary on Joshua-2 Kings (Baker, 1989),
pp.
321-322. (H)
Walter Kaiser (and others) Hard
Sayings of the Bible (IVP, 1996), pp. 240-241. (H)
John Sailhamer “1 Chronicles 21:1—A Study in Inter-Biblical
Interpretation” Trinity Journal
10:1
(Spring, 1989), pp. 33-48. (I)
[1]
Cabal, T., Brand, C. O., Clendenen, E. R., Copan, P., Moreland, J., &
Powell, D. (2007). The Apologetics Study
Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith (490). Nashville,
TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
