_Object._ 3. It is pretended, that there is a contradiction between 2 Sam. xxiv. 13. and 1 Chron. xxi. 12. in the former of which Gad came to David, being sent to reprove him for his numbering the people, and said, _Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land?_ But, in Chronicles, he speaks of but _three years of famine_. _Answ._ To reconcile this seeming contradiction, 1. Some think, that in some ancient copies, it is not seven, but three,[37] years of famine, in Samuel, as it is in Chronicles; the reason of this conjecture is, because the LXX, or Greek translation, have it so; and they think that these translators would hardly have made so bold with scripture, as to put three for seven, if they had not found it so in the copies that they made use of, when they compiled this translation: but probably this answer will not give satisfaction to the objectors; therefore, 2. The best way to account for this seeming contradiction, is this: in Chronicles, Gad bids him chuse if he would have three years of famine, _viz._ from that time; but in Samuel he saith, shall seven years of famine come unto thee, that is, as though he should say there hath been three years of famine already, for Saul _and his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites_, 2 Sam. xxi. 1. Now, that famine ceased but the year before, and the ground being so chaped and hard for want of rain this year, which was the fourth, it was little better than a year of famine. Now, said Gad, wilt thou have this famine continued three years more (which, in all, makes up seven years) unto thee in the land? And, if we take it in this sense, there is no contradiction between these two scriptures, though one speaks of three years, and the other of seven. _Object._ 4. They pretend to find an inconsistency, or absurdity, little better than a contradiction, by comparing 1 Sam. xvi. 21, 22. and chap. xvii. 55. In the former it is said, _David came to Saul, and stood before him, and he loved him greatly; and he sent to Jesse_, with the intent that he might give him leave _to stand before him, inasmuch as he had found favour in his sight_. Now, say they, how can this be consistent with the other scripture; where Saul seeing David going forth against Goliath the Philistine, asked Abner, _Whose son is this youth?_ And Abner replied, _He could not tell_; and, in the next verse, he is ordered to _enquire who he was_. Now how could this be, when he had been his armour-bearer, stood before him, and found favour in his sight; and he had sent to Jesse, to desire that he might live with him?