Contradiction with Numbers 14:33
This verse suggests the Israelites would wander in the wilderness for forty years as a punishment for disobedience, while Deuteronomy 2:14 emphasizes the completion of this period.
Numbers 14:33: And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness. [wander: or, feed]
Contradiction with Acts 7:6
This suggests a period of four hundred years in a foreign land, which contrasts with the more specific forty years in the wilderness mentioned in Deuteronomy 2:14.
Acts 7:6: And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat [them] evil four hundred years.
Contradiction with Joshua 5:6
While aligning with the forty-year period, it suggests a continuous wandering rather than an end to the journey marked by Deuteronomy 2:14.
Joshua 5:6: For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people [that were] men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: unto whom the LORD sware that he would not shew them the land, which the LORD sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.
Contradiction with Psalms 95:10
It mentions forty years of God's displeasure, highlighting the continual strife rather than a conclusion of wandering mentioned in Deuteronomy 2:14.
Psalms 95:10: Forty years long was I grieved with [this] generation, and said, It [is] a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways:
Paradox #1
Deuteronomy 2:14 could be noted for a historical inconsistency because it refers to the Israelites wandering in the desert for 38 years until an entire generation of fighting men perished. However, other parts of the Bible suggest a 40-year period of wandering. This difference in numbers can lead to confusion about the exact timeline of events.
Paradox #2
The contradiction or conflict in this verse could stem from the idea of divine punishment and the judgment of an entire generation. It raises questions about collective responsibility and the fairness of punishing descendants or a group for the actions of some members. This may seem inconsistent with other teachings about individual responsibility and justice.
Paradox #3
Deuteronomy 2:14 might be seen as inconsistent with other verses about time periods. It states a specific duration for the Israelites' journey, which may not align with other biblical passages that describe the same or related timeframes. This difference in numbers about how long the journey or events took can be seen as a contradiction.