Expert: Cooper P. Abrams III - 12/18/2005

Question
hi...
thank you for your answer
could you help me find where the last 1,000 are in scripture.
the 1,000 that were slain by Phinehas the next day
i have read ahead but am unable to locate correctly
thank you
cann
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Followup To
Question -
1 cOR 10:8
".......AND IN ONE DAY TWENTY THREE THOUSAND FELL"

NUMB 25:9
"....WERE TWENTY FOUR THOUSAND"

INTERESTING DIFFERENCE......HOW COME?

MERRY CHRISTMAS
CANN
Answer -
Hi Cann,
  Both Numbers 25 and 1 Corinthians were written under the inspiration of God.   God superintended the writing so that what Moses and Paul was correct.  (2 Tim. 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:21).
   So there is no discrency, both statements are true.  The anwswer is that Moses in Numbers includes all who died "in the plague" and the one thousand more that were slain by Phinehas and his companions the next day.

   Paul's only mentions twenty three thousand  because  in using this illustration He was particularly wanted mention the proofs of the immediate Divine displeasure and he refers only to those who fell by God's hand.   


Cooper Abrams


Answer
Hi Cann,
     Lets let the verses give the answer....

  And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand. (Numbers 25:9)

   Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. (1 Corinthians 10:8)

    Numbers 25:9 says that those that "died in the plague" was 24000.  Which was the total of those who lost their lives.
    1 Corinthians 10:8 says "and fell in one day 23000." do you see the difference?
     Numbers gives the total who died and 1 Corinthian the number that died the first day.
     Both statements are referring to the events of Numbers 25...but they are different statements.   If Paul had said that 24,000 died in one day...then there would be a problem.   There is no problem because that is not what he said.   Both statements are true.   23,000 died in one day and clearly 24,000 was the total that died.   All did not die the first day...which is what the passage says.
     Paul's motive for mentioning only the 23,000 is explain in my last response.
     Cann, I have been answering Bible questions since 1996 on the internet and have had many write citing supposed mistakes or errors in God's word.  To date...all of them can be reasonably explained and I have yet to find any errors.
      God's word is inspired and He has preserved it for us.   The KJV can be trusted as a accurate translation.

      Respectfully, I think it to be a more profitable pursuit to study the word of God in order to examine our lives in light of finding righteousness and a right relationship with God rather than trying to discredit His written word to us.

   Hope things are well with you and you had a great Christmas,
Cooper Abrams