For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: When was King Jabin killed?
Here are the two answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:
He was killed by Joshua.
“Then it came about, when Jabin king of Hazor heard of it, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon and to the king of Shimron and to the king of Achshaph,” (Joshua 11:1)
“Then Joshua turned back at that time, and captured Hazor and struck its king with the sword; for Hazor formerly was the head of all these kingdoms. 11 They struck every person who was in it with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them; there was no one left who breathed. And he burned Hazor with fire.” (Joshua 11:10-11)
He was killed 120 years after Joshua’s death.
“Now it came about after the death of Joshua that the sons of Israel inquired of the Lord, saying, “Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?”” (Judges 1:1)
“Then the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.” (Judges 3:11)
“So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land was undisturbed for eighty years.” (Judges 3:30)
“And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; and the commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim.” (Judges 4:2)
“The hand of the sons of Israel pressed heavier and heavier upon Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin the king of Canaan.” (Judges 4:24)
(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)
The website also said “Christian Responses (none yet)”
Here’s a closer look at whether or not there is a contradiction:
- 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.
- One should be skeptical of whether this is a Bible contradiction given the website’s track record of inaccurate handling of biblical passages. See the many examples of their error we have responded to here in this post: Collection of Posts Responding to Bible Contradictions. Of course that does not take away the need to respond to this post, which is what the remainder of the post will do. But this observation should caution us to slow down and look more closely at the passages the Skeptic Annotated Bible cited and see if they interpreted the passages properly to support their conclusion that it is a Bible contradiction.
- The skeptic tried to pit verses from the book of Joshua which affirm that “Jabin was killed during the time of Joshua” against verses from the book of Judges which affirm “Jabin was killed 120 years after the time of Joshua.” Obviously the proposition “Jabin was killed during the time of Joshua” contradict “Jabin was killed during the time of Joshua” if we are referring to the same person.
- I need to explain the listing of verses the Skeptic Annotated Bible gave under “He was killed 120 years after Joshua’s death” which the website did not provide any explanation of how they arrive at the conclusion that Jabin was killed 120 years after Joshua’s death. The first verse, Judges 1:1, mentioned the death of Joshua. Judges 3:11 then mentioned forty years of peace followed before the first Judge “Othniel the son of Kenaz died.” So one can deduce at least forty years have passed since Joshua’s death when Otheniel died. Judges 3:30 then mentioned the land was undisturbed for 80 years after conflict with Moab. Forty years plus eighty years would make it at least one hundred twenty years. Then in the next chapter both Judges 4:2 and Judges 4:24 mentioned Jabin with verse 24 saying Jabin was destroyed. Thus the Skeptic Annotated Bible is lead to state that Jabin was killed one hundred twenty years after Joshua died.
- However there does not seem to be a contradiction here when we understand that two different individuals with the same name of Jabin is mentioned in the book of Joshua and the book of Judges.
- In the book of Joshua the king is “Jabin king of Hazor” (Joshua 11:1) while in the book of Judges it is “Jabin king of Canaan” (Judges 4:2, Judges 4:24). The difference of where the two Jabin was king over is a reason that suggest they are not the same individual.
- While Hazor is a city state that is located in the region of Canaan it seems “Jabin king of Hazor” in the book of Joshua is unlikely “Jabin king of Canaan” in the book of Judges since in the book of Joshua there was no one unifying king of Canaan. Rather there were various kings of various city states in Canaan during this time. Looking at Joshua 11:1 more closely we see that “Jabin king of Hazor” was one of several other Canaanite kings of various city states: “Jobab king of Madon and to the king of Shimron and to the king of Achshaph.” More kings were mentioned in verses 2-4. This is the second reason to see that “Jabin king of Hazor” was not “Jabin king of Canaan.“
- Also “Jabin king of Hazor” was not “Jabin king of Canaan” when we realize that “Jabin king of Hazor” was in alliance and mutual agreement with other kings of city states rather than being strong over them and calling himself”Jabin king of Canaan.” This is the third reason to see that “Jabin king of Hazor” was not “Jabin king of Canaan.“
- Furthermore in the book of Joshua King Jabin of Hazor alone was militarily weaker than Israel. This is different than King Jabin of Canaan in the book of Judges who was able to oppress Israel severely for twenty years (Judges 11:3) thereby adding a circumstantial evidence to the the rest of other reasons for why we see two different individuals.
- There’s no reason for the authors of Judges to raise King Jabin of Hazor back from the dead (and from the flames of being burned) to appear one hundred twenty years later as an enemy of Israel when there’s many enemies of various city states already to mention.
- Don’t forget that two or more individuals can have the same name, but that doesn’t mean they are the same person. It is going to be context that determine if there are more than one individual or the same person. The evidence above strongly suggests they are not the same person.
- Thus there is no contradiction here if we understand that there are two different individuals being mentioned that happen to have the same name.
- Some might object to our answer here. But even secular history is filled with accounts of different kings who happen to have the same names but reigning in different time period. I think of the various King Henry in history. One shouldn’t use a faulty heremenutic and historical method to say King Henry III was the same person as King Henry VIII! Nor should we confuse the various Queen Mary in English history. It would be ridiculous for some to say history has a contradiction for how is it possible that Queen Elizabeth can rule in the 1500s while also still ruling in the 2000s…and yet that’s what the skeptics have done here.
- We shouldn’t miss that worldviews are at play even with the skeptic’s objection to Christianity. The worldview of the author of the Skeptic Annotated Bible actually doesn’t even allow for such a thing as the law of non-contradiction to be meaningful and intelligible. In other words for him to try to disprove the Bible by pointing out that there’s a Bible contradiction doesn’t even make sense within his own worldview. Check out our post “Skeptic Annotated Bible Author’s Self-Defeating Worldview.”
[…] Bible Contradiction? When was King Jabin killed? […]
Good one
Thanks! I think back of how you first told me to compiled them and at first I just did a few here and there but as a result of what you said I am systematically going through these to refute and a fruit of that for me has been an increase of strengthening of my faith. Grateful for the prompting for this adventure the last few years (my time flies!).
Glad to be of help. Not to give you extra work LOL. But someday when you are done, you could make a document out of them and upload it on a page as a PDF and that would be a really cool reference guide. Don Norris does that with some of his studies, and its really cool.
Very helpful. Thanks.
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
Thanks for the reblog!
Yankee Whiskey Bravo 😎
Yes. Why fight something you don’t believe in. I don’t fight an athiest. or any system I don’t belive in But I will fight for my God.:))
Yep! My last point tried to develop along the same lines as what you pointed out in your comment. God bless you Maw Maw!
You also, my HeartSon. :))
I like your combination of exegesis and Presuppositional apologetics in this post
Good (and interesting) rebuttal! When Steve Wells smells a contradiction, he throws all caution (and objectivity) to the wind.
And when Steve Wells all caution (and objectivity) to the wind, well, it doesn’t go down well! I guess Steve Well is my equivalent of your project with Armstrong! I’m surprised at how both men are so similar.
Oops, forgot one important word: when Steve Wells THROWS all caution… Yup, we’ve been busy between Wells and Armstrong but I think I have only around 20 passages left to examine from Armstrong.
Reblogged this on RG's 2 Cents Studios and commented:
Seems like understanding The Bible is talking about two different Jabins is pretty elementary (unless of course you are desperately looking for a contradiction…)
Thanks brother for reblogging this!
Glad to do it, Jim! 🙂
Reblogged this on BibleProphecyWatch.
Your welcome.
Oh yes just like Joel Osteen twists Scripture.
Joel Osteen and the atheist have this in common: Not believing God’s Word and twisting God’s Word.
Ok see you later. The Lord Jesus protect you! 🙂
No contradiction – as usual.
Agreed
I will come to read this Bible contradiction. I don’t want to rush through it. It’s late here.😊
[…] 2.) Bible Contradiction? When was King Jabin killed? […]
Another refutation added to the list!
Good post Mr Wallace
Your post helped me answer a friend attacking the Bible.
[…] When was King Jabin killed? […]
[…] two individuals can have the same name. See “How long did Jehoash reign?” and “When was King Jabin killed?” Yet other times an individual can have more than one name. See “Who were the […]
[…] Bible Contradiction? When was King Jabin killed? […]
[…] When was King Jabin killed? […]
[…] When was King Jabin killed? […]
This is just proof that saying the Bible has contradiction is nonsense and doesn’t stand scrutiny
Howdy would you mind sharing which blog platform you’re working with? I’m planning to start my own blog soon but I’m having a difficult time deciding between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your layout seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something unique.
P.S Sorry for getting off-topic
but I had to ask!
I mentioned to my buddies your website. I have been digesting the many articles dealing with Bible contradictions on your website after I developed a suspicion that my coworkers’ list of Bible contradiction was taken from some atheist listing. I appreciate your sincerity, style and facts on this tremendously important subject that help me understand the context of these verses and what they are about.
Amen and Amen! *** Absolutely Right On! Always pray to accurately handle Gods word 👍 Amen!
Funny the skeptic annotate Bible is deeply flawed fiction. Atheists looking to the skeptic annotated Bible as basis for rejecting the basis is using something immature, ignorant and erroneous