Contradiction with 1 Samuel 16:21
This verse states that David came to Saul and stood before him, suggesting Saul should already be familiar with David, contradicting Saul's lack of recognition in 1 Samuel 17:55.
1 Samuel 16:21: And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.
Contradiction with 1 Samuel 16:22
This verse indicates that Saul loved David greatly and made him his armor-bearer, implying a close relationship contradicting Saul's unfamiliarity with David in 1 Samuel 17:55.
1 Samuel 16:22: And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.
Contradiction with 1 Samuel 16:23
This verse mentions David playing the harp for Saul to relieve him from an evil spirit, suggesting Saul's close and repeated interactions with David, contradicting his lack of recognition in 1 Samuel 17:55.
1 Samuel 16:23: And it came to pass, when the [evil] spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
Paradox #1
The verse can be seen as inconsistent because earlier in the story, King Saul already met and knew David, as David played the harp for Saul and even became his armor-bearer. Yet in this verse, Saul appears not to recognize David. This contradiction raises questions about the continuity of the narrative.
Paradox #2
In 1 Samuel 17:55, there's a potential contradiction regarding Saul's familiarity with David. Earlier in the narrative, David is introduced to Saul as a harp player to soothe Saul's torment from an evil spirit. However, in this verse, Saul seems not to recognize David after his battle with Goliath, asking about his family background. This inconsistency raises questions about Saul's prior knowledge of David or about the sequence of events.
Paradox #3
The contradiction in 1 Samuel 17:55 arises because King Saul seems to not recognize David, even though David had previously served in his court as a musician and armor-bearer. This inconsistency raises questions about the continuity of the story and the characters' prior interactions.
Paradox #4
The possible contradiction in 1 Samuel 17:55 is related to the conflicting accounts of King Saul's knowledge of David. Earlier, David is introduced to Saul as a musician and armor-bearer, yet in this verse, Saul seems not to recognize David after he defeats Goliath. This inconsistency could raise questions about Saul's awareness or memory of David despite previous interactions.
Paradox #5
The numerical inconsistency in 1 Samuel 17:55 arises from the confusion about whether Saul already knew David before David fought Goliath. Earlier, in 1 Samuel 16, David is introduced to Saul as a harp player, which might suggest Saul should already know him. This can appear inconsistent with Saul's inquiry about David's identity in 1 Samuel 17:55 after he defeats Goliath.