For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: How old was Jehoiachin when he began to reign?
Here are the answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:
He was 18 years old and he reigned for 3 months.
“Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned for three months in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.” ( 2 Kings 24:8)
He was 8 years old and he reigned for 3 months and 10 days.
“Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned for three months and ten days in Jerusalem. He did evil in the sight of the Lord.” (2 Chronicles 36:9)
(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 2 Kings 24:8 as affirming the claim “Jehoiachin was 18 years old and he reigned for 3 months” against 2 Chronicles 36:9 as affirming “Jehoiachin was 8 years old and he reigned for 3 months and 10 days.”
- The “three months” vs. “three months and ten days” is not a contradiction in that one gives a more specific duration than the other. I can for example say my oldest daughter is nine yeas old but she might say “nine and a half!” There’s no contradiction there.
- The skeptic correctly cited 2 Kings 24:8 as affirming the claim “Jehoiachin was 18 years old and he reigned for 3 months.”
- Those who read the NASB version above will notice that 2 Chronicles 36:9 says “eighteen.” But there is a footnote that says “As in LXX and some Heb mss; MT eight years.” That is, the Greek translation of the Old Testament and some Hebrew manscripts states “eighteen” but the Masoretic Text says “eight.” The skeptic of course takes it as “eight” in order to make their case that it contradict 2 Kings 24:8.
- This is an issue of textual criticism. That is, it is a question of all the manuscripts which one is the best reading to be preferred. I think 2 Chronicles 36:9 should best be read “eighteen.” If that is the case there will be no Bible contradiction.
- One reason why “eighteen” is the best reading of 2 Chronicles 36:9 is that this reading does have some manuscripts support.
- Specifically “the Greek Septuagint (LXXA) Codex Alexandrinus, fifth century C.E. and the Greek Septuagint (LXXL) P. de Lagarde, Göttingen, Germany, 1883, as well as the Syriac Peshitta, Christian Aram., fifth cent. C.E read “eighteen years old” (Source).
- The Mikraot Gedolot also has it as eighteen (Source).
- I do realize that those evidences some are later documents but they show that there are manuscripts and scribes who are aware of variant readings including that of “eighteen.”
- A second line of reasons why “eighteen” is the best reading of 2 Chronicles 36:9 is based upon consideration of other Scripture.
- 2 Chronicles 36:9 if it is taken as eighteen will agree with 2 Kings 24:8.
- Note that 2 Chronicles 36:9 states Jehoiachin did evil in the sight of the Lord in those three months he reign. It seems reasonable to think that if he was eight then other men as care takers of the king who have ruled in his place and those men would have been culpable for the evil and not as directly with Jehoiachin himself in terms of before the Lord.
- Also the older one has lived, the more “practice” one has to implement deliberate wicked plans than a child. Now I know children can be bratty and spoiled. But someone who can put many bad policies in a short time seem to have been pretty deliberately planning for it already before his reign. This suggest the king was more likely eighteen than eight.
- A third line of reasons why “eighteen” is the best reading of 2 Chronicles 36:9 is based upon consideration of internal evidence of the Hebrew in the text of 2 Chronicles 36:9 itself.
- Recall 2 Chronicles 36:9 gives the details of the king reigning for three months and ten days. That extra “ten” could have easily contributed to an unintentional scribal error when we think of how how the Hebrew “eighteen” was written literally with the Hebrew word “eight” and “ten.”
- Surprisingly this is the first time in this series I had to consult the late Old Testament scholar Gleason Archer who is an expert on Bible difficulties. He noted “A numerical system generally in use during the fifth century (when Chronicles was probably composed–very likely under Ezra’s supervision) features a horizontal stoke ending in a hook at its right end as the sign for “ten”…the digits under ten would be indicated by rows of little vertical strokes, generally in groups of three. Thus what was originally written as a horizontal hooked stroke over one or more of these groups of short vertical strokes (in this case, eight strokes) would appear as a mere “eight’ instead of “eighteen‘” because “of blurring or surface damage in the earlier manuscript from which the copy is made” (Archer, Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, 215). Archer goes on to say in the same page that this smudged out explanation is best to take since an extra ten stroke is hard to miss if it wasn’t smudged.
- There is no contradiction here. Seems the skeptic needs to learn of How to Handle Bible Contradictions.
- Employing textual Criticism doesn’t pose a problem since Christians believe that copies of manscripts can have scribal errors but in God’s providence we have so many manuscripts to piece what is the original content. See my series “We can know the words of the Old Testament: Table of Contents.”
- 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.”
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Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
Great insight. This nails it: “This is an issue of textual criticism. That is, it is a question of all the manuscripts which one is the best reading to be preferred.”
Blessings.
Amen
Spiritually blinded worldview at play here indeed, you are right! Archer’s description makes me think of the scoring system of Darts.🎯 Blessings to you and your family!
Archer and darts 🎯…that’s a good pun there brother! Hope you are doing well yourself brother??
Hope you are doing well too pastor?
This is beyond excellent work, Jimmy! So proud and humbled by your textual criticism skills! Insightful about Archer’s info on numerical systems! You really put a lot of effort into this post and I am really thankful for it! I was curious how some of my commentaries would reconcile this and to your 9.3 point the REBC notes Jeremiah 22:24-30. Thank you again for your efforts on this post! Amazing that more is said about Jehoiachin in Jeremiah than in 2 Chronicles 36 and 2 Kings 24!
Thanks for your comment and your observation of the work that went into this, I got into and finished it at 5 AM…is it Jeremiah 9:24-30 or is it another chapter in Jeremiah? My search doesn’t reveal anything for Jeremiah is a short chapter. That is fascinating that Jeremiah has more on this king than the Chronicles and Kings narrative!
Ah!! I am SO sorry! It is Jeremiah 22:24-30! Feel free to fix that for me in my original post! I saw you submitted this after 8am my time and I immediately started praying for your sleep!
Good points, Jim. The Masoretic text was compiled by the Jewish Masorites over 1,000 years after the original was written. It’s most likely a punctuation error on the part of the scribes, as you pointed out, which why a good textual scholar has to look at all the manuscripts available to come up with the right answer. This is also probably why all the modern translations say “eighteen.”
I find the these pharisaical skeptics pretty obnoxious in their rigid and myopic view of Scripture. It’s like they start with the notion, “There must be a problem,” then go looking for one, rather than what they should be doing: “I see a potential problem, how do I resolve it.” Instead, they write resource books for people looking for a reason not to believe.
I think the nitpicking is quit Pharisee-like as you pointed out. Thanks for reading this Mel and your input is quite appreciated here! I wrote this one for this week since someone is going to debate on YouTube another individual who brought this up as an error in the Bible. It’s crazy how this specific contradiction when I googled it gets “cut and paste” word for word even the question from the skeptic annotated Bible with what seems like many of them haven’t done their homework to see the passage for themselves or interact with textual criticism. Sad isn’t it?
True. I find a lot of self-appointed skeptics only have “Google knowledge,” not real knowledge, of the subject.
Reblogged this on Love and Love Alone.
I learned today what is Textual Criticism
Thanks for the well-researched rebuttal. I wonder how a KJV 1611 Onlyist would respond?
Oh man that would be a can of worms to open up the KJVO box with this passage! But good question, many KJVO online I see repudiate modern textual criticism as almost the equivalent of sorcery; I imagine your old IFB church rag on Textual Criticism? I know there are some nutty methods out there but I can’t see its avoidable to have some kind of TC done. How is your day going?
Our IFB pastor was strangely not KJVO, he emulated Jerry Falwell who was not KJVO. But he didn’t get into textual criticism either.
RE: Day
Thanks! Very busy day. Double our usual orders for the weekend. Glad I had enough training ramp up to deal with it. 17K steps.
How is your day progressing?
How is your
Jim, I always enjoy reading these type of posts. I am by no means a theologian so it is is a privilege to sit in for a lesson.
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for reading this BG! How are you?
I am doing well and you brother? God has blessed me tremendously. I have an eager desire to delve into his word! It is good to dig beneath the surface right? Take care friend!
I enjoyed seeing a logical answer to the skeptics
Well, I never even knew there was a possible “contradiction”! What a thorough explanation Pastor Slimjim, thank you for all your research.
I hope all is well with you.
Thanks for reading and noticing the effort poured into this post in answering the skeptic! I appreciate it Lisa! Are there any new development with things in Armenia?? Seems US news is quiet about it
Thank you for asking brother. Most efforts now in Armenia are humanitarian interventions, hardly covered in US media. What grieves Armenians is the brevity of the cease fire and the already salivating plans of Turkey to finish their devilish plan.
The cries from Baku, “Yerevan is ours!” “Sevan is ours!” are not hollow threats but a true Armenian nightmare.
I hope all is well with you Pastor Slimjim, looking forward to your next Bible challenge!
Truth.
Thanks! How are your sisters doing with everything (local flood, Covid world, etc)?
We are being Blessed. Our Cup runneth over. Hope you can say same. 🙂
Well stated
Wow! Thank you for sharing this post SlimJim ☺️. I love reading about 1 and 2 Chronicles.
Excellent work pastor Jim. Hard work researching and applying reasonable thought as in your point 9:2.
Blessings for your Lord’s Day.
Hope all is going well.
Thanks for reading this and noticing the hard work that went into this. I did stay up till five AM writing this lol. How was your Lord’s Day sister?
You sound like a night owl. 🤗
We had a missionary to East Timor preaching a very powerful and convicting message yesterday.
Enjoy the rest of your Lord’s Day
Thanks much…studied both and don’t remember noting the difference. Thanks!
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