The Nugget:
Psa 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
Psa 19:7 The Law of the LORD is perfect; it gives us new life. His teachings last forever, and they give wisdom to ordinary people. (CEV)
Psa 19:7 The teachings of the LORD are perfect. They renew the soul. The testimony of the LORD is dependable. It makes gullible people wise. (GW)
My Comment:
I have provided Psalm 19:7 in three English translations (KJV, King James Version; CEV, the Contemporary English Version, and the GW, or God’s Word version) so that its message will be perfectly clear.
I believe that the Bible in its original languages and in its original manuscripts is without error. Some copyist errors have crept in over time but most of these errors can be spotted and corrected by comparing other manuscripts and ancient versions. Sometimes a contradiction seems possible but it is not the fault of the Bible but of our own misreading of the Bible as in the interesting case below, a case which took me some effort to resolve.
The Muslim Challenge:
Again in second chronicle 36:5: ” Jehoiachin was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in jerusalem.”
Second kings 24:8: ” Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign.” There is 7 years difference between the ages. Apparently, those who have written this holy book did not take into consideration this discrepancy right ?
My Answer:
Faruq Abba Umar Kirawa, thank you for posing such an interesting and difficult question!
But here there is no contradiction.
The error seems on your part, or more probably the on the part of the source where you found this alleged as a contradiction.
The mistake is in comparing and confusing statements about two different kings with similar names who did not reign at the same time but one succeeded the other.
Here are the properly compared parallel texts or accounts:
2Ch 36:4 And the king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and turned his name to Jehoiakim. And Necho took Jehoahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt.
2Ch 36:5 Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God.
2Ki 23:34 And Pharaohnechoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the room of Josiah his father, and turned his name to Jehoiakim, and took Jehoahaz away: and he came to Egypt, and died there.
2Ki 23:36 Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Zebudah, the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah.
Note that both accounts state that Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, so there is no contradiction.
2Ki 24:6 So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.
2Ki 24:8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother’s name was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.
2Ch 36:8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he did, and that which was found in him, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.
2Ch 36:9 Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.
In 2 Chronicles 36:9 there is a plain “contradiction” that can be explained as the result of a copyist’s error. Jehoiachin was not “eight” years of age but “eighteen” as given in the parallel text in 2 Kings 24:8.
The Syriac, Arabic, and the parallel place in 2 Kings 24:8 have “eighteen years,” which is the genuine reading.
So in 2 Chronicles 36:9 where Jehoiachin is said to be only eight years old, this must be a mistake, for we find that having reigned only three months, he was carried captive to Babylon, and there had wives (2 Kings 24:15); and had he been of such a tender age of only eight years old, it could scarcely have been said that, as a king, “he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.”
This should resolve the apparent contradiction you thought you found, as well as another in the process!
