How does the absence of 1 Chronicles 25:30 affect biblical inerrancy? Why Some English Bibles Seem to Skip It Verse numbers were added in the sixteenth century. Typesetters sometimes compressed the two final courses of musicians (“Mahazioth” and “Romamti-Ezer”) into a single line to save space, inadvertently dropping the extra numeral. This is a layout issue, not a textual loss. Structural Necessity The chapter’s stated conclusion—“There were twenty-four divisions” (25:31)—is mathematically impossible without v. 30. Its absence would leave only twenty-three. Definition of Inerrancy Inerrancy applies to the original autographs. Copyists and printers are fallible; Scripture is not. Detectable, correctable typographical omissions do not compromise the doctrine (Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy, Article X). Preservation Proven The quick identification and correction of the numbering slip demonstrate, rather than refute, God’s providential preservation. With over 5,800 Hebrew witnesses confirming the verse, the weight of evidence is overwhelming. Impact on Doctrine No doctrine is affected: the passage lists musicians. The integrity of the narrative, numerical harmony, and theological content remain intact. The episode actually showcases the transparency of biblical transmission and the reliability of textual criticism. Bottom Line The momentary “absence” of 1 Chronicles 25:30 in a handful of English editions is a printing quirk, not a textual defect. Biblical inerrancy stands unaffected; the verse is securely attested in every ancient textual tradition of Chronicles. |
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