The verse of Scripture under consideration reads, “And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the Lord, in Hebron” (2 Samuel 15:7 KJV). A footnote to the NKJV reads, “Septuagint manuscripts, Syriac, and Josephus read four.” The NIV and the ESV read, “at the end of four years.” In addition, Barnes’ Notes says, “An obvious clerical error, though a very ancient one for four years, which may date from Absalom’s return from Geshur, or from his reconciliation with David, or from the commencement of the criminal schemes to which 2 Sam 15:1 refers.” James Burton Coffman adds, “The KJV and other ancient versions have ‘forty years’ here instead of ‘four’; but the RSV is doubtless correct here in following the Syriac and certain texts of the LXX. This indicates that it took Absalom four years from the time he was reconciled with David to launch his attempted coup de etat.” John Haley noted the observations of several students of the Bible, “…there is a copyists error in the case” (393).
Each of the following commentators concludes the same thing.
It is generally admitted that an error has here crept into the text, and that instead of [’arbaa‘iym], “forty”, we should read, with the Syriac and Arabic versions, and Josephus [’arba‘], ‘four years’ – i.e., after Absalom’s return to Jerusalem, and his beginning to practice the base arts of gaining popularity. (Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown)
There is no doubt that this reading is corrupt… But the Syriac text has arba shanin, FOUR years; the Arabic text has the same arba shinin, FOUR years; and Josephus has the same; so also the Sixtine edition of the Vulgate, and several MSS. of the same version. …most learned men are of opinion that ’arba‘im, FORTY, is an error for ’arba‘, FOUR… We know that Absalom did stay THREE years with his grandfather at Geshur, 2 Sam 13:38; and this was probably a year after his return: the period, therefore, may be the time of his slaying his brother Amnon; and the four years include the time from his flight until the conspiracy mentioned here. (Adam Clarke’s).
The number forty is altogether unsuitable, as it cannot possibly be understood either as relating to the age of Absalom or to the year of David’s reign: for Absalom was born at Hebron after David had begun to reign, and David only reigned forty years and a half in all, and Absalom’s rebellion certainly did not take place in the last few weeks of his reign. (Keil and Delitzsch).
When David’s son Absalom finally returned after killing his half-brother Amnon, 2 Samuel 15 indicates that “after forty years” passed, Absalom left home again and committed treason. Anyone who knows much Israelite history quickly realizes that Absalom most certainly did not spend 40 years at home during this time, for David’s entire reign was only 40 years (2 Samuel 5:4). The number given in 2 Samuel 15:7 probably should be four years, which is more in keeping with the lifetime of Absalom, who was born in Hebron after David’s reign as king began (2 Samuel 3:3). The number “four” also agrees with such ancient versions as the Septuagint, the Syriac, the Arabic, and the Vulgate. There is little question that the number “forty” represents a copyist error. (Lyons 138)
Through God’s providence, multiple ancient manuscripts compensate for human frailty on the part of copyists. In addition, the Bible is its own best commentary, containing within itself in related Bible books information that likewise make up for number errors made by human penmen. Rather than being suspect and untrustworthy, Bible truth is impervious to clerical errors. The Bible is reliable and the best documented writing ever written.
Works Cited
Adam Clarke’s Commentary. CD-ROM. Seattle: Biblesoft, 2006.
Barnes’ Notes. CD-ROM. Seattle: Biblesoft, 2006.
Coffman, James Burton. James Burton Coffman Bible Study Library. CD-ROM. Abilene: ACU, 1989.
Haley, John W. An Examination of the Alleged Discrepancies of the Bible. Nashville: Gospel Advocate, 1951.
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary. CD-ROM. Seattle: Biblesoft, 2006.
Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament. New Updated Edition. CD-ROM. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1996.
Lyons, Eric. The Anvil Rings: Answers to Alleged Bible Discrepancies, Vol. 1. Montgomery: Apologetics P., 2003.
