This is the second series of 25 rejected SAB Bible Contradictions. Among them are some famous ‘contradictions’ such as: What was in the ark of the covenant? When did Jesus ascend into heaven? How many languages were there before the Tower of Babel was built? Did Jesus tell his apostles to go barefoot and without a staff?
26. Did Samuel kill all the Amalekites?
Yes (1 Samuel 15:7-8, 33)
Wrong. Only those who had attacked Israel.
No (1 Samuel 15:33; 27:8-9; 30:1, 17; 2 Samuel 1:8-10)
Right. Only those who had attacked Israel.
Compare SAB Contradiction 17 in: Sab Contradictions 1-25 fully rejected.
No Contradiction
27. Who was Amasa's father?
Amasa's father was Ithra an Israelite. (2 Samuel 17:25).
Right. Ithra or Jether had a Jewish mother and by that had the status of an Israelite.
Amasa's father was Jether an Ishmaelite. (1 Chronicles 2:17).
Right. Ithra or Jether had an Ishmaelite father and had by that also the status of an Ishmaelite.
This is what we call a double nationality.
No Contradiction
28. How should the Ammonites be treated?
Do not fight against them or take their land. (Deuteronomy 2:19, 37)
Right. This was the policy when the Israelites approached Canaan under Joshua and the Ammonites remained in their country.
Kill them and take their land. (Judges 11:32, Jeremiah 49:2)
Wrong. This was much later in history and after the Ammonites had attacked Israel severely and so the policy at that time was to defend and to eliminate the enemy.
No Contradiction
29. Who was Anah?
The daughter of Zibeon (Genesis 36:2, 14)
Wrong. (There were two Anah’s!) Anah was the son of Zibeon (Genesis 36:2, 24). Anah was not a “daughter of the Hivite Zibeon”, which is plain from the text, as also Abram’s son Ishmael was not the sister of Nebajoth (Genesis 36:3), but her father.
The brother of Zibeon (Genesis 36:20, 1 Chronicles 1:38)
Right. Zibeon called his son to his brother Anah.
The son of Zibeon (1 Chronicles 1:40)
Right. Anah was the son of Zibeon (Genesis 36:24).
No Contradiction
30. How long does God’s anger last?
God’s anger lasts for just a moment. (Psalm 30:5, Jeremiah 3:12, Micah 7:18)
Right. For those who come to him with their needs and sorrows.
God’s anger lasts a long time. (Numbers 32:13, Jeremiah 17:4, Malachi 1:4, Matthew 25:41, 25:46)
Right. For those who refuse to come to him with their needs and their sorrows.
A great difference, but no contradiction.
No Contradiction
31. From what were the animals created?
Water (Genesis 1:20)
This is a mistranslation of the KJV. The NASB (and most modern translations) has correctly: “Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures and let birds fly above the earth …”; instead of (KJV): “Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature … and fowl that may fly …”.
The ground (Genesis 2:19)
Right. See also Genesis 1:24.
No Contradiction
32. How did Antiochus die?
Wrong. The books 1 and 2 Machabees do not belong to the Hebrew Bible and not to the New Testament. So this question can not be arranged among alleged Bible Contradictions at all.
No Bible Contradiction
33. What were the names of the apostles?
The problem seems to be that there are some apostles with several names.
Wrong.
– Simon, Cephas (Aramaic: rock), Peter (Greek; rock). (three names)
– Simon the Canaanite, Simon Zeolotes. (two names)
– Judas (brother of James, the son of Alphaeus), Thaddeus (Tad is Aramaic for breast), Lebbaeus (Leb is Hebrew for heart, breast), in fact the same meaning as Thaddeus. (three names)
Note. Lebbaeus is certainly authentic. This name is mentioned in the greatest stream of Greek manuscripts (Majority text).
No Contradiction
34. Where did Jesus first appear to the eleven disciples after the resurrection?
On a mountain top in Galilee. (Matthew 28:16)
Wrong. Many English translations continue the resurrection story with a time indication (following the KJV): “Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee …” However the Greek text gives only the fact of the action without time indication (then): The eleven disciples went away into Galilee … This verse doesn't give in any way an answer on the question above.
In a room in Jerusalem. (Mark 16:14, Luke 24:33-37, John 20:19)
Partly right. The first appearance was in a room in Jerusalem as described in Luke 24:33-37, John 20:19. Eight days later they were in the same room together with Thomas (John 20: 26-29, also Mark 16:14-18).
No Contradiction
35. How many of Arah’s offspring returned from Babylon?
775 (Ezra 2:5)
Right. This is a quotation from the list that Ezra recorded in Babylon at the meeting place of departure.
652 (Nehemiah 7:10)
Right. This is a quotation from the list that was made up after the journey to Jerusalem. It shows that many of Arah’s offspring were delayed and arrived in Jerusalem after the first wave.
See the article: Contradictory lists about the Israelites that returned from Babel?
No Contradiction
36. What was in the ark of the covenant?
Only the two tables of Moses. (1 Kings 8:9, 2 Chronicles 5:10)
Right.
The tables of Moses, a golden pot filled with manna, and Aaron’s budded rod. (Hebrews 9:4)
Wrong. The tables of Moses were in the ark. However the golden pot filled with manna, and Aaron’s budded rod were not in the ark, but in the Holy of Holies. The description has the rhetorical form of an Anacoluthon, a free enumeration in a loose narrative style. Main goal: description of the tabernacle (comp. (8:1-2, 9:6-7, 11, 10:19-20): “…a tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, (4) having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which [Holy of Holies, pres. auth.] was a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron's rod which budded, and the tables of the covenant; (5) and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat; …” (NASB)
The altar of incense before the Holy of Holies was part of it just as the great altar in front of the tabernacle (outside) was part of that. Then the description continues enumerating all important things in the Holy of Holies. In which is related with “the Holy of Holies” and not with “the ark of the covenant”; there is here a grammatical choice, defined by what we know about the furnishing. The ark of the covenant is already mentioned, than follow the golden jar, Aaron's rod and the tables of the covenant, with the two cherubim of the mercy seat above it.
No Contradiction
37. Was Asa perfect?
Yes (1 Kings 15:14)
Wrong. No human is perfect, without sin. But he was the first king in Judah after David that removed all the idols that had been made under/by his fathers – Solomon, Rehoboham and Abiam. “the high places that were not removed by him” certainly refer to a few Jahwistic places of prayer where in former times Samuel and others had offered sacrifices.
No (2 Chronicles 16:7, 10, 12)
Right. In the matter of the prophet Hanani he had done wrong, just as David did what was right in the eyes of God, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite (1 Kings 15:5).
No Contradiction
38. Did Asa remove the high places?
Asa removed the high places. (2 Chronicles 14:3-5)
Right. As king of Judah he removed the high places in Judah that were prepared for idols.
Asa did not remove the high places. (1 Kings 15:14, 2 Chronicles 15:17)
Partly right. As Asa was king of Judah he was not in the position to remove the high places for idols in all of Israel, which is clear from 2 Chronicles 15:17.
No Contradiction
39. How many of Asaph’s offspring returned from Babylon?
128 (Ezra 2:41)
Right. This is a quotation from the list that Ezra recorded in Babylon at the meeting place of departure.
148 (Nehemiah 7:44)
Right. This is a quotation from the list that was made up after the journey to Jerusalem. It shows that after the departure many of Asaph’s offspring who came up later, joined the stream of immigrants.
See the article: Contradictory lists about the Israelites that returned from Babel?
No Contradiction
40. When did Jesus ascend into heaven?
On the day of his resurrection. (Luke 24:1-51, Mark 16:9-19)
Wrong. That day Jesus entered into heaven, from where he appeared to his disciples fourty days. But this was not his ascension, his visible upgoing into heaven.
At least eight days after his resurrection. (John 20:26)
Wrong. See above.
Many days after his resurrection. (Acts 13:31)
Wrong. See above.
Forty days after his resurrection. (Acts 1:2-3, 9)
Right. This ascension was indeed a visible upgoing into heaven. It meant: He took a place at God’s side on his throne.
Take Note. The Ark of the Covenant was named the throne of God. With Jesus' ascension it occurred that a cloud made Him invisible, just as the high priest entering the temple passed the veil before the temple at the Day of Atonement. After his visit in the Holy of Holiest, the place of the Ark, the high priest would come out while the people waited for him on the temple square. So after Jesus' Ascension two angels declared that Jesus whould return in the same way as He had left. So Jesus' reign in heaven is the task of a high priest (Letter to the Hebrews).
No Contradictions
41. Did Peter ask Jesus where he was going?
Yes (John 13:36)
Right.
No (John 16:5)
Wrong. This is some time later and Peter had already asked about that. A long explanation by Jesus had followed and they didn’t want to ask again about it, as it made them sad.
No Contradiction
42. On what did Jesus ride into Jerusalem?
On an ass and a colt (Matthew 21:5-7)
Wrong. This is a hendiadys (a figure of speech: two nouns referring to one subject) referring to one animal: an ass colt. According to the prophecy this was an “ass and colt”. This was the animal which Jesus would use and not the female ass of verse 2. “(They) laid their coats on them; and He sat on [them, that is] the coats.” (NASB) .
On a colt (Mark 11:7, Luke 19:35)
Right.
On a young ass (John 12:14)
Right.
No Contradictions
43. Is the day of the Lord at hand?
Yes (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, 5:23)
Wrong. Paul doesn’t know. First reference: he is speaking about the Christians in general of all ages, not about his contemporaries: “… we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.” The second reference: “…and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto [must be: in, during] the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” He is only saying that his first readers may well be in that final hour (body: physical resurrection).
No (2 Thessalonians 2:2-3)
Right.
No Contradiction
44. How many of Azgad’s offspring returned from Babylon?
1222 (Ezra 2:12)
Right. This is a quotation from the list that Ezra recorded in Babylon at the meeting place of departure.
2322 (Nehemiah 7:17)
Right. This is a quotation from the list that was made up after the journey to Jerusalem. It shows that after the departure many of Azgad’s offspring who came up later, joined the stream of immigrants of the first wave.
See the article: Contradictory lists about the Israelites that returned from Babel?
No Contradiction
45. When did Baasha die?
In the 26th year of king Asa’s reign (1 Kings 16:6-8)
Right. In the twenty-sixth year of his actual reign.
Sometime after the 36th year of King Asa’s reign (2 Chronicles 16:1)
Wrong. in the thirty-sixth year of his kingship. Asa received the title of king as a boy as his father died very early. His mother was lady governor before Asa actually reigned. He was therefore ‘named’ king at least ten years before he began his actual reign.
No Contradiction
46. How many languages were there before the Tower of Babel was built?
There was only one language. (Genesis 11:1)
Wrong. There was one common vernacular, but there were also dialects.
There were many languages. (Genesis 10:5, 20, 31)
Wrong. There was one common vernacular, but there were also dialects.
No Contradiction
47. How long was the Baylonian captivity?
70 years (Jeremiah 29:10)
Right.
70 generations (Baruch 6:2)
Wrong. Baruch is no biblical book, so this question can not be arranged among alleged Bible Contradictions.
No Contradiction
48. How many of Bani’s offspring returned from Babylon?
642 (Ezra 2:10)
Right. This is a quotation from the list that Ezra recorded in Babylon at the meeting place of departure.
648 (Nehemiah 7:15)
Right. This is a quotation from the list that was made up after the journey to Jerusalem. It shows that after the departure some of Bani’s offspring came up later and joined the stream of immigrants. Or some births occurred en route.
See the article: Contradictory lists about the Israelites that returned from Babel?
No Contradiction
49. In whose name is baptism to be performed?
The Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Matthew 28:19)
Right. This was said when they were baptized in the name of Jesus. No doubt, the mandate of Jesus became to the standard formula for baptism.
In the name of Jesus (Acts 2:38, 8:16, 10:48, 19:5)
Wrong. Not one of the texts from Acts refers to a description of an actual baptism. The baptism in the name of Jesus was the common term to refer to the event of becoming pushed under water in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. It would be inconvenient for the (first) Christians to not use the formula of Jesus’ prescript being baptized. In all occasions of Acts common or ordinairy language has been used referring to the occurrence of baptism instead of the full prescribed formula which was used at the moment of baptism.
See the article.
No Contradiction
50. Did Jesus baptize anyone?
Yes (John 3:22)
Wrong. “and there he tarried with them, and baptized.” It was done under his authority by his disciples. He didn’t baptize himself as is clear from the résumé of Jesus work in John 4:2. It is said that Salomon built the temple; the meaning is that his labourers did the actual work.
No (John 4:2)
Right. “Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples.”
No Bible Contradiction
No Bible Contradictions.