Bible Contradiction? How many were from the tribe of Simeon?

For other posts dealing with Bible contradictions see our Collection of Posts Responding to Bible Contradictions.

For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: How many were from the tribe of Simeon?

Here are the two answers which the skeptic believes shows a Bible contradiction:

59,300

“their numbered men of the tribe of Simeon were 59,300.” (Numbers 1:23)

22,200

“These are the families of the Simeonites, 22,200.” (Numbers 26:14)

(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)

Here’s a closer look at whether or not there is a contradiction:

1. When dealing with skeptics’ claim of Bible contradictions it seems one can never be reminded enough of what exactly is a contradiction.  A contradiction occurs when two or more claims conflict with one another so that they cannot simultaneously be true in the same sense and at the same time.  To put it another way, a Bible contradiction exists when there are claims within the Bible that are mutually exclusive in the same sense and at the same time.
2. Obviously the number 59,300 and 22,200 are not the same amount.  Rather than knee-jerking it and saying this is a contradiction this should slow us down to ask what is going on in the context of both Numbers 1:23 and Numbers 26:14.
3. One observation when we look at the context of the chapter of Numbers 1 and Numbers 26 is that the skeptic’s question, “How many were from the tribe of Simeon?” is not fully accurate.  Since the question that the skeptic asked isn’t fully accurate that should make one suspicious of whether the Skeptic Annotated Bible has handled the verses accurately in a way that is faithful to its respective context.
   1. In both Numbers 1 and Numbers 26 we see that there is a census commanded by God to the tribes of Israel.
   2. The census was not taken of the whole tribe but only a specific group within the tribes of Israel; note what Numbers 1:2-3: “Take a census of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, every male, head by head 3 from twenty years old and upward, whoever is able to go out to war in Israel, you and Aaron shall number them by their armies.”
      1. The census was limited to men.
      2. Specifically it was a census of men who met two conditions:
         1. Ages 20 and up.
         2. Able to go to war.
   3. The same condition for the census in which it was limited to males ages 20 and up and able to go to war is also described in the census in Numbers 26.  The exact phrases found in Numbers 1:2-3 is restated in Numbers 26:2 and Numbers 26:4.
   4. This kind of census fit the custom of the time in which one of the purpose of census is to help those in leadership know how many draft age men can be supplied during times of war.
   5. To be accurate the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible based upon Numbers 1 and Numbers 26 shouldn’t be “How many were from the tribe of Simeon?” but “How many draft age men were from the tribe of Simeon?”  I think this is a sign that the author of the Skeptic Annotated Bible has not handled the passages they are using as carefully as they should, in a manner that does justice to its context.  Of course this won’t be the last time we will see a lack of attention to details by the Skeptic Annotated Bible.
4. We should also establish the timing of both Numbers 1:23 and Numbers 26:14 since differences of timing would dismiss the charge of a bible contradiction between the two verses.
   1. The timing of Numbers 1:23 is mentioned in Numbers 1:1.  Numbers 1:1 states “Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying.”  Here we see that the timing was not too long after they have left the land of Egypt.
   2. The timing of Numbers 26:14 is mentioned in Numbers 26:1.  Numbers 26:1 states “Then it came about after the plague, ^[b]that the Lord spoke to Moses and to Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying.”  Here the census is taken after the plague which is described in Numbers 25.
   3. We need to know that in between Numbers 1 and Numbers 26 a lot has occurred.
      1. We see for instance the people complain in Numbers 11-12 and the people murmuring against the spies report in Numbers 14-15.  Then there is Korah’s Rebellion in Numbers 16, water from the rock at Meribah in Numbers 20, Aaron’s Death in Numbers 20:22, the Bronze Snake in Numbers 21, the Balaam narrative in Numbers 22-24 and Israel’s sin at Peor and the plague God sent in Numbers 25.
      2. The point here is that with all the events that Numbers record between Numbers 1 and Number 26, there is a length of time between the two census.
   4. A difference of time between two census with two different results means there is not a contradiction between Numbers 1:23 and Numbers 26:14.
      1.  Remember one of the condition necessary for a contradiction is that there are mutually exclusive claims being made at the same time.  But Numbers 1:23 and Numbers 26:14 did not take place at the same time.  Thus a necessary condition for there to be a contradiction here hasn’t been met.
      2. Also think of how irrational it is to pit the first and second census result against each other.  No one looks at the US Census from one decade and pit against the census done from another decade and say that there is a contradiction with the US government.  It does not make sense because the population would fluctuate over time.  This is how irrational the Skeptic Annotated Bible is to try to claim a Bible contradiction here.
5. Some might struggle with the question of why is there a dramatic decrease of the amount of men from Simeon from 53,900 to 22,200 men between Numbers 1:23 and Numbers 26:14 .
   1. First we need to note that the question of why there is a dramatic population decrease is not the same question as whether or not there is a contradiction.  We have already established that there is not a bible contradiction here.
   2. Secondly recall that the second census amount in Numbers 26:14 takes place after the plague: “Then it came about after the plague, that the Lord spoke to Moses and to Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying, 2 “Take a census…” (Numbers 26:1-2a).  Of course a plague would decrease a population, not increase it.
   3. Details of the plague is found in the previous chapter in Numbers 25.  We see that the plague is the result of God’s punishment for the people’s sin at Peor.  We also see Numbers 25:14 named a leader in the tribe of Simeon.  The decision of God to mention the leader from the tribe of Simeon in Numbers 25:14 and then in the next chapter there is a census result with the dramatic decrease in the population of tribe of Simeon indicates that many in the tribe of Simeon were involved with the sin of Peor including their leader(s)’ participation.
   4. Do not forget that before the second census God has already prophesied in Numbers 14:34 that the rebellious first generation would wander for 40 years before they pass away without entering the promise land as a punishment for their sins.  Since the census record men ages 20 years and older we should not be surprised that some of those older men in that group would have passed away in time before the 40 years was over.
   5. We must also take a step back in redemptive history, back to God’s prophecy in Genesis 49:5-7 that could help explain what is going on in Numbers 26:14: “Simeon and Levi are brothers; Their swords are implements of violence. 6 “Let my soul not enter into their council; Let not my glory be united with their assembly; Because in their anger they slew men, And in their self-will they lamed oxen. 7 “Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; And their wrath, for it is cruel. I will disperse them in Jacob, And scatter them in Israel.”
      1. Here a dying Jacob spoke about two of his son, Simeon and Levi.
      2. The reference to the violence and swords of Simeon and Levi goes back to Genesis 34:25-31 in which they carried out a horrifying revenge because their sister Dinah was rape.
      3. Here we see the consequences for Simeon’s violence is that God will disperse Simeon’s descendants within Israel.
      4. God’s intention to scatter the tribe of Simeon over Israel would explain the sudden decrease in population of Simeon’s descendants during a time in which Israel’s entrance into the promise land to form the state of Israel was a few decades (or less) away. They would be small in number and therefore easily scattered about with the other tribes.

There is no Bible contradiction here.