1 Chronicles 19 · a question people ask
Why are some numbers here different from 2 Samuel 10?
Chronicles tells the same events as 2 Samuel 10, and in places its numbers and names are not the same. The hired army: "Hanun and the children of Ammon sent one thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, out of Aram-maacah, and out of Zobah" (19:6), and "So they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots, and the king of Maacah with his people" (19:7). In 2 Samuel, "the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth Rehob and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Maacah with one thousand men, and the men of Tob twelve thousand men" (2 Samuel 10:6). The last battle: "David killed of the Syrian men seven thousand charioteers and forty thousand footmen" (19:18). In 2 Samuel, "David killed seven hundred charioteers of the Syrians and forty thousand horsemen" (2 Samuel 10:18). The captain is "Shophach" here (19:16, 19:18) and "Shobach" in 2 Samuel (2 Samuel 10:16, 10:18). Neither book explains the differences, and these notes don't either. Much is told alike in both: David's kindness (19:2; 2 Samuel 10:2), the princes' suspicion (19:3; 2 Samuel 10:3), the wait at Jericho (19:5; 2 Samuel 10:5), Joab's promise and his words to Abishai (19:12-13; 2 Samuel 10:11-12), and the peace at the end (19:19; 2 Samuel 10:19). The verses are set side by side here as they stand, and nothing here tries to reconcile them.
The verses
“When the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent one thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, out of Aram-maacah, and out of Zobah. So they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots, and the king of Maacah with his people, who came and encamped near Medeba. The children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and came to battle.”
“When the children of Ammon saw that they had become odious to David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth Rehob and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Maacah with one thousand men, and the men of Tob twelve thousand men.”
“When the Syrians saw that they were defeated by Israel, they sent messengers and called out the Syrians who were beyond the River, with Shophach the captain of the army of Hadadezer leading them.”
“The Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed of the Syrian men seven thousand charioteers and forty thousand footmen, and also killed Shophach the captain of the army.”