1 Chronicles 11 · a question people ask
Three hundred, or eight hundred?
The two lists of David's mighty men differ in places, and the books don't explain it. In Chronicles the first man is "Jashobeam, the son of a Hachmonite, the chief of the thirty" (11:11), and "he lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them at one time" (11:11). The plot "full of barley" (11:13) comes in the account of Eleazar (11:12-13), and "They stood in the middle of the plot" (11:14). After "Uriah the Hittite" (11:41) more names follow, to "Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite" (11:47). In 2 Samuel the first man is "Josheb Basshebeth, a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains" (2 Samuel 23:8), and the verse goes on, "he was called Adino the Eznite, who killed eight hundred at one time" (2 Samuel 23:8). The plot is "full of lentils" (2 Samuel 23:11), and Shammah the son of Agee "stood in the middle of the plot and defended it" (2 Samuel 23:12); 1 Chronicles 11 has no Shammah the son of Agee. 2 Samuel's list ends, "and Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all" (2 Samuel 23:39). The verses are set side by side here as they stand, and nothing here tries to reconcile them.
The verses
“This is the number of the mighty men whom David had: Jashobeam, the son of a Hachmonite, the chief of the thirty; he lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them at one time. After him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men. He was with David at Pasdammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where there was a plot of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines. They stood in the middle of the plot, defended it, and killed the Philistines; and the LORD saved them by a great victory.”
“Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai,”
“Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.”
“These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb Basshebeth, a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains; he was called Adino the Eznite, who killed eight hundred at one time.”