For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: How many of Bani’s offspring returned from Babylon?
Here are the answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:
642
“the sons of Bani, 642;” (Ezra 2:10)
648
“the sons of Binnui, 648;” (Nehemiah 7:15)
(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)
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 Skeptic Annotated Bible’s track record of inaccurately handling the Bible. See the many examples of their error which we have responded to in this post: Collection of Posts Responding to Bible Contradictions. Of course that does not take away the need to respond to this claim of a contradiction, which is what the remainder of this post will do. But this observation should caution us to slow down and look more closely at the passages cited by the Skeptic Annotated Bible to see if they interpreted the passages properly to support their conclusion that it is a Bible contradiction.
- The skeptic tries to pit Ezra 2:10 as affirming the claim “642 of Bani’s offspring returned from Babylon” against Nehemiah 7:15 as affirming “648 of Bani’s offspring returned from Babylon.”
- One must always figure out the context of the verses the skeptic cited.
- The book of Ezra was written before the book of Nehemiah. The purpose of the book of Ezra records God’s fulfillment of bringing back the nation of Israel after 70 years of captivity. The first six chapters of Ezra record Zerubbael’s leadership in leading the exiles to return to build the alter in Jerusalem. Chapter 7-10 record how 80 years after Zerubbabel’s first trip Ezra journeyed to Jerusalem with a second group and how God used Ezra to bring about reform (William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary, 482).
- The book of Nehemiah record the third great leader of the Jewish return and restoration to the Promise Land after the Exile. Nehemiah was originally a cup bearer to the Persian King who thirteen year after Ezra’s expedition he was burden for the conditions of Jerusalem (William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary, 482). So God use Nehemiah to restore the city walls of Jerusalem and also other spiritual and moral reforms.
- Knowing the background of both books we can see that the time between Ezra 2 and Nehemiah 7 is about a period of 93 years or so.
- Knowing there is a 93 years period between Ezra 2 and Nehemiah 7 help us to understand the possible reasons for the differences of both chapters’ listing.
- First off In Ezra 2:1 it seems to indicate the list is giving an account of those who decided to depart Babylon in order to return to the promise land: “Now these are the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his city.“
- The purpose of listing the first generation’s return to the Jerusalem in Nehemiah 7 seems to be for the reason of organizing a new genealogy in Nehemiah’s day by first basing it upon the template of the first genealogy of the first generation. Note Nehemiah 7:5: “Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogies. Then I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up first in which I found the following record:” The different purposes must be remembered.
- Considering that Ezra 2:1 mentioned that the list in Ezra 2 are those who left the captivity in Babylon to return to Jerusalem we must remember that it is situated in a context in which Ezra 1 the people have not arrived yet to Jerusalem while the people arrived in the end of chapter 2 and beginning of chapter 3 of Ezra. It is reasonable to understand the listing of names and numbers in Ezra refer to those who departed Babylon. But just because one departed from Babylon for the promise land does not mean everyone would have arrived. Even with modern military units when we walk on foot hiking somewhere it doesn’t mean 100% of us arrive at our destination especially if there’s some incredible distance to travel; why won’t be surprised with civilians and families traveling that some will not arrive at their final destination for whatever reason?
- Thus Nehemiah 7’s listing might be of those who actually did arrive in Jerusalem and the promise land and not just a listing of those who attempted to return back to Jerusalem and the promise land.
- Also even upon their arrival to the promise land that doesn’t mean there’s a census done right away; there’s lots to do to settle in and the work of census for a genealogy might be a significant time later when things are more stable.
- Also given there’s 93 years between the two listing we can understand the latter listing in Nehemiah 7 might be a count of the population at a given specific time. Don’t forget population changes up and down for many reasons: death, births, young men coming of age in which they are now counted as adults, etc.
- Keep in mind the differences between 642 and 648 is only 6. A large group of six hundred something amount of men and their families as they head out of Babylon can easily have 6 more young men come of age and considered adults when they get to the promise Land.
- There is no contradiction here. Seems the skeptic needs to learn of How to Handle Bible Contradictions.
- 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.”
[…] How many of Bani’s offspring returned from Babylon? […]
Thanks for the great research on this. Very well laid out. I appreciate your dedication to refuting these. Very important to establish the word of God as reliable and trustworthy.
Blessings on this glorious Monday.
As you might read below, I was similarly lead to encourage SlimJim. Thanks for your encouragement.
I was just about to lay out a similar message to Mr. Michael Wilson (almost word for word).
Another numerical allegation that the skeptic was happy to include without further thinking. Looks like the skeptic need to read your November 2016 post on how to, Jim! Blessings to you, Nancy, and your kids.
Yep the skeptic might benefit from thinking about how we Christians refute alleged Bible contradictions and even more so of how to properly interpret the Bible but I suspect the author of the Skeptic Annotated Bible has no interests in such things as he’s been spewing nonsense for decades. Thank you for reading that November 2016 post of mine on how to handle Bible contradictions. How’s the weather these days for you?
You are right, Jim. The skeptic has no interest in discerning, let alone reflecting/finding out more about what is written in the Bible but takes delight in what he can harm or add as a contradiction. Yes, it is still colder here due to the cold front from the north.
[…] Bible Contradiction? How many of Bani’s offspring returned from Babylon? […]
Thanks for this thorough debunking of another of Steve/Stephen Wells’ alleged contradictions. Wells is on a crusade and isn’t about to ask himself any questions that scholarly rigor requires.
Wells is not well both spiritually and scholarly. It’s embarrassing. Hoping to continue to chop at Steve Well’s lists and provide contextually driven refutations this year, Lord willing. It seems God had been good and people do find them through search engines. I am hoping to do the series on purgatory sometime this week Lord willing!
Looking forward to that purgatory series!
How does your “day off” look?
God works all things. It’s very possible that your response, and that of others on here, will eventually bring someone closer to believing.
Thanks for addressing this supposed contradiction, Jim! Great meme for this!
You’re welcome! Was wondering if anyone would notice the meme lol. How’s your health and that of your wife??
Shirley seems to be recuperating well, and I’m scheduled to see a lung specialist next Tuesday to schedule a lung biopsy. Sarcoidosis tends to affect the lungs and even though I had a normal PFT, they want to be sure it hasn’t damaged them. Thanks for asking! 🙂
Mr. Null and Void is his own contradiction.
He spews so much more nonsense. And his attack is so ridiculous! God’s Word is true! It is worth defending Maw Maw!
And I will.
Great job! Sorry for the late reply!
No worries just glad you drop by and hearing from you! I was super tired last night so I posted one of my “how many from Babylon…” posts that the skeptic posted lol. How was your day for Monday?
I ask myself sometime, if I were agnostic or atheist would I really care about how many people returned from exile in Ezra and Nehemiah. Today, six people were the difference. Would I have really cared? It is good and necessary work that you are doing!
Have you had time to get some rest from your crazy ministry weekend? Today was a good and productive Monday for me, praise the Lord!
Pastor Jim, your meticulous study explains the issues behind this scenario very clearly.
The skeptics are pretty lame to nitpick on a differences of 6 individuals among 100s when people have been counted during different times
There’s certain things money can’t buy. The ability to read the Bible in context is one of them. Its a spiritual problem!
Excellent research exposing this non existent Bible contradiction.
Thank you! Thank you for reading this and also noticing the meme. I tried to add some humor for the blog. About to start Bible study anything I can pray for you?
An increase in the knowledge of God and a decrease of “self”.
Love the meme .😊
The skeptics are clueless when it comes to Bible contradiction
[…] 2.) Bible Contradiction? How many of Bani’s offspring returned from Babylon? […]
The meme at the top of the page is my reaction to this “contradiction”.
There is no contradiction with the Bible rightly understood. Its amazing to see how much logical, historical and