FF— Did God encourage Samuel to lie? PROBLEM: Abraham was judged by God for telling the half-truth that Sarah was his sister (she was his half sister) when she was really his wife (see comments under Genesis 12:10-20). However, in this passage God actually encourages Samuel to tell only half of the... [ Continue Reading ]
What is the correct spelling of the name of David’s brother? PROBLEM: According to 1 Samuel 16:9, the name of David’s brother is “Shammah.” However, in 1 Chronicles 2:13 his name is “Shimea.” Which is the correct spelling? SOLUTION: It is not uncommon for proper names to be spelled differently due... [ Continue Reading ]
Did Jesse have eight sons as indicated in this verse, or only seven as indicated in 1 Chronicles 2:13-15? PROBLEM: Although 1 Samuel 16 only names the three oldest brothers of David, verse 10 states that Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel before he brought David out. However, 1 Chronic... [ Continue Reading ]