How many did the chief of the Three kill at once, 300 or 800?
Posted on Jan.09, 2009. Filed in 1 Chronicles, 2 Samuel. Average rating: 1.5 / 10 (Rate It).
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, the slaughter of a large number of the enemy all at once. However, they disagree as to just how many of the enemy he killed.
2 Samuel tells us that the chief of the Three killed 800 in a single battle:
These are the names of the warriors whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite; he was chief of the Three; he wielded his spear against eight hundred whom he killed at one time. [2 Samuel 23:8 (NRSV)]
According to 1 Chronicles, however the chief of the Three only killed 300 in one go:
This is an account of David’s mighty warriors: Jashobeam, son of Hachmoni, was chief of the Three; he wielded his spear against three hundred whom he killed at one time. [1 Chronicles 11:11 (NRSV)]
So how many did the chief of the Three kill at once, 800 or 300?
N.B. All posts are written in a style sympathetic to the claim of Biblical error, even in cases where the author ("Errancy") disagrees with the claim. See the About page for the site's philosophy.
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