"Who were the sons of Benjamin?" (Alleged Contradiction #E4780)
And the sons of Benjamin were Belah, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard.
Genesis 46:21
The sons of Benjamin after their families: of Bela, the family of the Belaites: of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites: of Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites: of Shupham, the family of the Shuphamites: of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites. And the sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the family of the Ardites: and of Naaman, the family of the Naamites.
Numbers 26:38-40
The sons of Benjamin; Bela, and Becher, and Jediael, three.
I Chronicles 7:6
Now Benjamin begat Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, and Aharah the third, Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth.
I Chronicles 8:1-2
Response
Not all of the lists mention all the sons of Benjamin. This does not constitute a contradiction, but rather, putting all the data together we are able to develop a family tree.
Regarding Ard and Naaman (which are listed as sons in Genesis 46:21, but grandsons in Numbers 26:38-40), sometimes the Bible uses the term “son” to denote a descendant, though not necessarily an immediate descendant. Or, it is possible that Bela named two of his sons after two of his brothers.
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