Doublets in the Bible
"Doublet" is the term used to refer to instances in the Bible when the same story is told twice.
Assignment
Use your bible to compare the text of the 20 doublets listed below.
Compile a list
8 examples of contradictory information.
Skip any paring that seems confusing to you.
Stop once you have found and
listed 8 examples of contradictory information.
1. | Historical Records from Adam to Noah | Genesis 5 | 1 Chronicles 1:1-4 |
2. | Children of Adam | Genesis 4:17-26 | Genesis 5:1-28 |
3 | Length of Hebrew Enslavement | Genesis 15:13 | Exodus 12:40 |
4 | Acquisition of Shechem | Genesis 33:19 | Genesis 34-35 |
5 | Selling of Joseph into slavery | Genesis 37:21-22 | Genesis 37:26-27 |
6 | Killing of male infants | Exodus 1:15-21 | Exodus 1:22-2:10 |
7 | Yahweh reveals himself to Moses | Exodus 3:1-15 | Exodus 6:2-8 |
8 | Moses' sons | Exodus 4:20 | Exodus 18:4 |
9 | Aaron changes staff to snake | Exodus 4:30 | Exodus 7:10 |
10 | Water for Wandering Israelites | Exodus 17:2-7 | Numbers 20:3-13 |
11 | 10 Commandments | Exodus 20:2-17 | Deuteronomy 5:6-21 |
12 | Setting up the Tabernacle | Ex 40:1-17; Lev 8-9 | Num 7 |
13 | Choosing Saul as King | 1 Samuel 9:15-16; 10:1 | 1 Samuel 8:1-22; 10:17-19 |
14 | Death of Saul | 1 Samuel 31 | 1 Chronicles 10 |
15 | David retrieves the Ark | 2 Samuel 6:1-11 | 1 Chronicles 13:5-14 |
16 | Solomon | 1 Kings 3:4 | 2 Chronicles 1:3 |
17 | Solomon | 1 Kings 11:41-42 | 2 Chronicle 9:29-30 |
18 | Solomon | 1 King 3:4-15 | 2 Chronicles 1:3-13 |
19 | Sons of David | 2 Samuel 3:2-5, 13-16 | 1 Chronicles 3:1-9 |
20 | King Asa | 1 Kings 15:17-24 | 2 Chronicles 15:16-17:1 |
Below are 2 doublets I will use as an example of how to do your assignment | |||
Name of Moses' father-in-law | Exodus 2:18 | Exodus 4:18 | |
Minimum age of service for Levites | Numbers 8:24 | Numbers 4:3 ; 4:23 ; 4:30 |
Example of what you will be doing in your assignment.
1. Name of Moses' father-in-law - Exodus 2:18 says his name is Reuel while Exodus 4:18 says his name is Jethro
2. Minimum age of service for Levites - Numbers 8:24 says they have to be 25 years old while Numbers 4:3 ; 4:23 ; 4:30 says they have to be 30 years old.
Remember that contemporary scholars agree that the general approach of the JEDP Source Theory best explains the doublets, contradictions, differences in terminology and theology, and the geographical and historical interests that readers find in various parts of the Torah.