Who incited David to take a census, God or Satan?
In both 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles, David takes a census of the soldiers of Israel. However, the two accounts disagree about what prompted him to do so. According to 2 Samuel, God incited David to take...
View ArticleWho killed Goliath, David or Elhanan?
The story of David slaying Goliath is a Sunday school favourite. There are, however, two conflicting claims concerning who killed Goliath. 1 Samuel describes the event, concluding: So David prevailed...
View ArticleDid Saul know who David’s father was?
In 1 Samuel Saul is afflicted with an evil spirit, and so on the advice of his servants sends to Jesse for his son Samuel. Samuel is reputed to be an excellent musician, and it is hoped that his...
View ArticleHow many did the chief of the Three kill at once, 300 or 800?
Among David’s warriors, a few are given special recognition, numbered among ‘the Thirty’ or even ‘the Three’. Both 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles record a heroic feat performed by the chief of the Three,...
View ArticleWhich priest gave David the bread of the Presence to eat, Abiathar or Ahimelech?
Jesus was a controversial figure, often challenged by the religious leaders of his time. One dispute concerned his disciples’ failure to observe the sabbath by picking grain as they passed through a...
View ArticleHow many Philistine foreskins did David pay Saul, 100 or 200?
King Saul and David initially got on well, but following David’s military victories Saul became envious of his popularity, and so devised a plan to get rid of him. Saul offered his daughter Michal to...
View ArticleWas David the youngest of seven sons, or the youngest of eight?
Both 1 Samuel and 1 Chronicles describe David’s family. Both agree that David was the youngest son of Jesse, but they disagree as to how many brothers he had. According to 1 Samuel, David was the...
View ArticleDid David kill Goliath with a sling or a sword?
We are all familiar with the biblical account of David killing Goliath: David, the plucky underdog, went up against the enemy that no one else dared to face, Goliath, and prevailed. The Bible, however,...
View ArticleWhat was the name of David’s second son, Chileab or Daniel?
Both 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles list the six sons of David born to him in Hebron. The two lists are in perfect agreement, except concerning the name of the second son, who was born to Abigail. In 2...
View ArticleFor how much did David buy the land for the altar?
When David had angered God by taking a census of the people of Israel, God sent a plague as a punishment. Seventy thousand died, but God paused before sending the plague against Jerusalem, and...
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