Shmuel Bais 24:1

1 4 And again the Af Hashem was kindled against Yisroel, and He incited Dovid against them to say, Go, number Yisroel and Yehudah.

Shmuel Bais 24:1 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 24:1

And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel,
&c.] It had been kindled, and appeared before in sending a three years' famine among them for Saul's ill usage of the Gibeonites, ( 2 Samuel 21:1 ) ; and now it broke forth again, either for some secret sins committed, as Kimchi suggests, or for the rebellion of Absalom, and the insurrection of Sheba, in which multitudes of them joined; so Abarbinel; no doubt there was cause for it, though it is not expressed:

and he moved David against them;
not the Lord, but Satan, as may be supplied from ( 1 Chronicles 21:1 ) ; or "it moved him"; the anger of the Lord, as the last mentioned writer interprets it; or the heart of David, as Ben Gersom; that is, the evil imagination of his heart, as Kimchi; the Lord left him to the corruption of his nature, sometimes called Satan, ( 2 Corinthians 12:7 ) ; which wrought powerfully in him, and stirred him up to take a step contrary to the interest of Israel, and what was prejudicial to them, as the event showed: it moved him to say; to Joab and his captains:

go, number Israel and Judah:
not all the individuals, but such as were fit for war, able to bear arms, see ( 2 Samuel 24:9 ) .

Shmuel Bais 24:1 In-Context

1 4 And again the Af Hashem was kindled against Yisroel, and He incited Dovid against them to say, Go, number Yisroel and Yehudah.

2 For HaMelech said to Yoav Sar HaChayil, who was with him, Go now through kol Shivtei Yisroel, from Dan even to Beer Sheva, and number ye HaAm, that I may know the Mispar HaAm.

3 And Yoav said unto HaMelech, Now Hashem Eloheicha add unto HaAm, how many soever they be, a hundredfold, and that the eyes of adoni HaMelech may see it; but why doth adoni HaMelech delight in this thing?

4 Notwithstanding the devar HaMelech prevailed against Yoav, and against the Sarei HeChayil. And Yoav and the Sarei HaChayil went out from before HaMelech, to number HaAm Yisroel.

5 And they passed over Yarden, encamped in Aroer, on the south of the Ir that lieth in the middle of the ravine of Gad, toward Yazer;