1 Chronicles 27:23

23 And David did not {take a census of those twenty years old or under} because Yahweh promised to make Israel more numerous than the stars of heaven.

1 Chronicles 27:23 Meaning and Commentary

1 Chronicles 27:23

But David took not the number of them from twenty years old
and under
Only those that were twenty years and upwards; but, according to Cornelius Bertram ^F11, he numbered them that were under twenty, though but sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, or nineteen years of age, provided they were of robust bodies, and of a tall stature, and able to bear arms; which he takes to be the sin of David, in numbering the people, being contrary to the law of God; yet though he had ordered them to be numbered, and they were, yet he would not take them and put them into the account of his chronicles, as in the next verse, that his sin might not be known, see ( 2 Samuel 24:9 )

because the Lord had said, he would increase Israel like to the stars
in the heavens;
which are not to be numbered, and therefore David sinned in attempting to number the people.

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 Lucubrat. Franktall, c. 2.

1 Chronicles 27:23 In-Context

21 For the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead: Iddo the son of Zechariah. For Benjamin: Jaasiel son of Abner.

22 For Dan: Azarel the son of Jeroham. These [were] the commanders of the tribes of Israel.

23 And David did not {take a census of those twenty years old or under} because Yahweh promised to make Israel more numerous than the stars of heaven.

24 Joab the son of Zeruiah began to count, but he did not finish. But wrath came upon Israel concerning this, and the number was not included in {the chronicles} of King David.

25 And over the treasury rooms of the king [was] Azmaveth the son of Adiel. And over the treasuries in the country, in the cities, in the unwalled villages, and in the towers [was] Jonathan the son of Uzziah.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "take up their count from a son of twenty years and to less"
• [b]. Or "said"