The number of beasts in the ark
GEN 7:2 Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.
GEN 7:8 Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of everything that creepeth upon the earth, GEN 7:9 There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.
There were seven of the clean beasts. Among the seven there were pairs with one extra for sacrifice. Then there were pairs of everything else. I’m sorry. I read this several times and I don’t see the problem.
How many stalls and horsemen?
KI1 4:26 And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.
CH2 9:25 And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; whom he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.
See the first paragraph of my reply “God good to all or just a few.”
This could be a manuscript copyist error substituting ם for ח (compare 1 Kings 4:266 with 2 Chronicles 9:257 ). The correct number, then, would be four. Note also the Septuagint (LXX), New American Bible (NAB) and New International Version (NIV) translations. Another explanation that does not resort to perceived manuscript error would be to explain that the 2 Chronicles passage refers to stalls for the horses and chariots ready for use. With ten horses per chariot, that would require 40,000 stalls for the individual horses when not assigned to a chariot. See also Geisler and Brooks, p. 173.8
Is it folly to be wise or not?
PRO 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
ECC 1:18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increased knowledge increaseth sorrow.
1 Cor.1:19: "For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."
See “A General Reply to Atheist Illogic.” Another case of “apples and oranges.” Context is important.
The writer of Proverbs emphasizes the importance of wisdom over a lack thereof. The writer of Ecclesiastes is remarking on how empty life is without God. Wisdom without meaning in life is sad, a “chasing of the wind.” Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:19 is commenting on the same thing the writer of Ecclesiastes discovered: To be wise in one’s own eyes is regrettable.
Human vs. ghostly impregnation
ACT 2:30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne.
MAT 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
See “A General Reply to Atheist Illogic.” Another case of “apples and oranges.” Context is important.
Luke in Acts is not discussing the impregnation of Jesus (!) but the fact that a descendent of David would sit on the throne. See the NIV translation: “But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne (cf. NAB and RSV).”
The sins of the father
ISA 14:21 Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities.
DEU 24:16 The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.
See “A General Reply to Atheist Illogic.” Another case of “apples and oranges.” Context is important.
Deuteronomy is discussing legal requirements—that no one shall suffer capital punishment because of something their relatives did. The passage in Isaiah is poetry finishing up a discussion of a metaphor of Satan and his followers. Because of the accumulated wickedness of generations judgment will come and a generation will be cut off. This would not have happened if the fathers had drawn close to the Lord and taught their children His ways.