INSPIRED NUMBERS.
In the second chapter of Ezra is given a register of the Jews who
returned from Babylon to Jerusalem. The register begins with these
words:
"Now these are the children of the province that went up out of the
captivity, of those which had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar
the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and came again
unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city."
In the seventh chapter of Nehemiah, beginning with the sixth verse,
is a copy of the same register. Nehemiah says:
"And I found a register of the genealogy of them which came up at
the first, and found written therein,
"These are the children of the province, that went up out of the
captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar
the king of Babylon had carried away, and came again to Jerusalem
and to Judah, every one unto his city."
Then follows in each a list of the families with the number of persons
belonging to them. But in transcribing the numbers, either Ezra or
Nehemiah has made many errors. A careful examination reveals no less
than twenty, as shown by the following:
1.
"The children of Arah, seven hundred and seventy-five" (Ez. ii, 5).
"The children of Arah, six hundred fifty and two" (Neh. vii, 10).
2.
"The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab,
two thousand eight hundred and twelve" (Ez. ii, 6).
"The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab,
two thousand and eight hundred and eighteen" (Neh. vii, 11).
3.
"The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty and five" (Ez. ii, 8).
"The children of Zattu, eight hundred forty and five" (Neh. vii, 13).
4.
"The children of Bani, six hundred forty and two" (Ez. ii, 10).
"The children of Binnui, six hundred forty and eight" (Neh. vii, 15).
5.
"The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three" (Ez. ii, 11).
"The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and eight" (Neh. vii, 16).
6.
"The children of Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty and two"
(Ez. ii, 12).
"The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty and two"
(Neh. vii, 17).
7.
"The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six" (Ez. ii, 13).
"The children of Adonikam, six hundred three score and seven"
(Neh. vii, 18).
8.
"The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six" (Ez. ii, 14).
"The children of Bigvai, two thousand three score and seven"
(Neh. vii, 19).
9.
"The children of Adin, four hundred fifty and four" (Ez. ii, 15).
"The children of Adin, six hundred fifty and five" (Neh. vii, 20).
10.
"The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three" (Ez. ii, 17).
"The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and four" (Neh. vii, 23).
11.
"The children of Hashum, two hundred twenty and three" (Ez. ii, 19).
"The children of Hashum, three hundred twenty and eight" (Neh. vii,
22).
12.
"The children of Beth-lehem, a hundred twenty and three.
"The men of Netophah, fifty and six" (Ez. ii, 21, 22).
[The number of both is one hundred and seventy-nine].
"The men of Beth-lehem and Netophah, a hundred four score and eight"
(Neh. vii, 26).
13.
"The men of Beth-el and Ai, two hundred twenty and three" (Ez. ii, 28).
"The men of Beth-el and Ai, a hundred twenty and three" (Neh. vii, 32).
14.
"The children of Magbish, a hundred fifty and six" (Ez. ii, 30).
[This family is omitted from Nehemiah's list.]
15.
"The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and five"
(Ez. ii, 33).
"The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and one"
(Neh. vii, 37).
16.
"The children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty"
(Ez. ii, 35).
"The children of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty"
(Neh. vii, 38).
17.
"The singers: the children of Asaph, a hundred twenty and eight"
(Ez. ii, 41).
"The singers: the children of Asaph, a hundred forty and eight"
(Neh. vii, 44).
18.
"The children of the porters: the children of Shallum, the children
of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children
of Hatita, the children of Shobai, in all a hundred thirty and nine"
(Ez. ii, 42).
"The porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the
children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita,
the children of Shobai, a hundred thirty and eight" (Neh. vii, 45).
19.
"The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of
Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two" (Ez. ii, 60).
"The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of
Nekoda, six hundred forty and two" (Neh. vii, 62).
20.
"And there were among them two hundred singing men and singing women"
(Ez. ii, 65).
"And they had two hundred forty and five singing men and singing women"
(Neh. vii, 67).
The following is a table of the census of all the families, as given
by Ezra and Nehemiah respectively:
FAMILY. EZRA. NEHEMIAH
Parosh 2,172 2,712
Shephatiah 372 372
Arah 775 652
Pahath-Moab, etc 2,812 2,818
Elam 1,254 1,254
Zattu 945 845
Zaccai 760 760
Bani 642 648
Bebai 623 628
Azgad 1,222 2,322
Adonikam 666 667
Bigvai 2,056 2,067
Adin 454 655
Ater 98 98
Bezai 323 324
Jorah (Hariph) 112 112
Hashum 223 328
Gibbar (Gibeon) 95 95
Beth-lehem and Netophah 179 188
Anathoth 128 128
Azmaveth 42 42
Kirjath-arim, etc 743 743
Ramah and Gabah 621 621
Michmas 122 122
Bethel and Ai 223 123
Nebo 52 52
Magbish 156
Elam 1,254 1,254
Harim 320 320
Lod, Hadid, and Ono 725 721
Jericho 345 345
Senaah 3,630 3,930
Jedaiah 973 973
Immer 1,052 1,052
Pashur 1,247 1,247
Harim 1,017 1,017
Jeshua, etc 74 74
Asaph 128 148
Shallum, etc 139 138
The Nethinim, etc 392 392
Delaiah, etc 652 642
Servants 7,337 7,337
Singers 200 245
In the above table are twenty discrepancies. Twenty errors in
forty-three numerical statements is a bad showing for an infallible
record.
Ezra and Nehemiah both state that the whole congregation, exclusive of
the servants and singers, numbered 42,360. Yet the sum total of each
is much less than this, that of Ezra being but 29,818, and Nehemiah,
31,089.
In the number of domestic animals Ezra and Nehemiah agree. In the
oblations they disagree. According to Ezra they gave 61,000 drams of
gold, 5,000 pounds of silver, and 100 priests' garments. According
to Nehemiah they gave in all 41,000 drams of gold, 4,200 pounds of
silver, and 597 priests' garments.
When bibliolaters affirm that there is not one error in the Bible,
refer them to this register, where in two chapters may be found two
dozen errors.