Why does 2 Samuel 24:13 differ in the number of years from 1 Chronicles 21:12? Text of the Passages 2 Samuel 24:13 – “So Gad went and said to David, ‘Shall seven years of famine come upon you in your land? Or three months of fleeing from your foes while they pursue you, or three days of plague in your land?’ ” 1 Chronicles 21:12 – “either three years of famine, or three months of being swept away before your foes with the sword of your enemies overtaking you, or three days of the sword of the LORD—plague in the land …” Immediate Context Both verses recount the prophet Gad’s presentation of three disciplinary options after David’s census. Alongside the famine option, the choices of three months of military defeat and three days of plague are identical. Only the famine span differs. Likeliest Textual Cause Hebrew numbers were often written with a single letter: • ש (shin) … 300, beginning of שָׁלֹשׁ “three.” • ז (zayin) … 7, beginning of שֶׁבַע “seven.” These letters differ by one tiny stroke; a copyist could readily missee or miswrite, especially across centuries of manuscript transmission. Because 4QSamᵃ and the LXX pre-date the Masoretic codices by a millennium, “three” is almost certainly original in 2 Samuel. Complementary Chronology Proposal Some church fathers (e.g., Theodoret) suggested that the land had already endured three years of famine under David because of Saul’s sins (2 Samuel 21:1). Adding four fresh years yields Gad’s total of seven. While creative, this view is unnecessary in light of the older manuscripts, but it shows that ancient believers were also intent on harmonizing Scripture. Literary and Theological Consistency The narrative symmetry favors three-fold repetition: • 3 years – 3 months – 3 days. Such structuring is common in Hebrew storytelling (cf. Judges 6:1; 2 Kings 13:18–19). The Chronicler’s figure preserves that balance, underscoring that the punishment options are measured and parallel, reflecting God’s just character. Archaeological and Historical Corroboration Ancient Near-Eastern annals (e.g., Assyrian royal inscriptions, Egyptian nilometer records) document cyclical three-year drought patterns in the Levant. A three-year agricultural crisis would be credible and devastating for Iron-Age Israel, matching the Biblical setting. Practical and Behavioral Application David’s sin was reliance on human strength; God’s remedy forced him to depend completely on divine mercy. Modern readers tempted by statistics, technology, or power face the same heart issue. Trust in the LORD, not numbers, remains the path to blessing (Proverbs 3:5–6). Summary The difference between “seven” in 2 Samuel 24:13 and “three” in 1 Chronicles 21:12 traces to a late scribal slip in the Samuel tradition. The earliest Hebrew, Greek, and Syriac witnesses, reinforced by symmetrical literary structure and historical plausibility, confirm the original reading as “three years of famine” in both accounts. Far from undermining Scripture, the data showcase God’s providential preservation of His word and highlight the theological thrust of the passage: divine holiness, human repentance, and the foreshadowing of Christ’s atoning work. |
    |