2 Chronicles 17:17
And of Beniamin, Eliada a mightie man of valour, and with him, armed men with bow and shield two hundred thousand. 2 Chronicles 17:17 (KJV)
The verse cited above presents a striking figure for the forces associated with the tribe of Benjamin, describing Eliada as a mighty man of valour who led armed men equipped with bow and shield, amounting to two hundred thousand. This description raises questions when compared with other biblical records concerning Benjamin’s military strength. In 2 Chronicles 14:8, it is recorded that Asa had an army of two hundred and eighty thousand men from Benjamin who bore shield and bow, all mighty men of valour. The similarity of language—“mighty men of valour,” “shield and bow”—suggests a thematic link, yet the numerical count differs markedly from the two hundred thousand noted in the verse from 2 Chronicles 17.
A further variation appears in another passage that mentions Eliada, a mighty man of valour, and with him armed men with bow and shield two thousand four hundred. This figure is considerably lower than both the two hundred thousand and the two hundred and eighty thousand cited elsewhere, indicating a possible textual or transmission discrepancy.
Adding to the complexity, a scholarly observation points out that no verse in the King James Version actually contains the phrasing “Eliada, a mighty man of valour, and with him armed men with bow and shield two hundred thousand” concerning the tribe of Benjamin. Moreover, the biblical census records Benjamin’s fighting men at forty‑five thousand six hundred, not two hundred thousand. These differing numbers—two hundred thousand, two hundred and eighty thousand, two thousand four hundred, and forty‑five thousand six hundred—highlight the challenges of reconciling ancient numerical data. The variations invite careful study of the textual witnesses, the context of each passage, and the historical methods used in recording Israel’s tribal forces. By examining each source side by side, readers can appreciate both the consistency of the “mighty men of valour” motif and the divergent figures that accompany it, fostering a deeper awareness of the complexities inherent in biblical historiography.
