1 Chronicles 27:23

23 And David would not number them that were within twenty years, for the Lord [had] said, that he would multiply Israel as the stars of heaven. (But David did not list those who were under twenty years of age, for the Lord had said that he would multiply Israel like the stars in the heavens.)

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 and Iddo, the son of Zechariah, was sovereign to the (other) half lineage of Manasseh in Gilead; and Jaasiel, the son of Abner, was sovereign to Benjamin; (and Iddo, the son of Zechariah, was the ruler of the eastern half of the tribe of Manasseh in Gilead; and Jaasiel, the son of Abner, was the ruler of Benjamin;)

22 and Azareel, the son of Jeroham, was sovereign to Dan; these were the princes of the sons of Israel. (and Azareel, the son of Jeroham, was the ruler of Dan; these were the leaders of the Israelites.)

23 And David would not number them that were within twenty years, for the Lord [had] said, that he would multiply Israel as the stars of heaven. (But David did not list those who were under twenty years of age, for the Lord had said that he would multiply Israel like the stars in the heavens.)

24 Joab, the son of Zeruiah, began for to number Israel, but he fulfilled not; for ire of God fell upon Israel for this thing, and therefore the number of them that were numbered, was not told in the books of (the) chronicles of king David. (Joab, the son of Zeruiah, began to count the Israelites, but he did not finish the census; for God's anger fell upon the Israelites for this thing, and so the number of them who were counted, was not told in the books of The Chronicles of King David.)

25 Forsooth Azmaveth, the son of Adiel, was (sovereign) on the treasuries of the king; but Jehonathan, the son of Uzziah, was sovereign over these treasures, that were in cities, and in towns, and in towers. (And Azmaveth, the son of Adiel, was in charge of the king's treasuries; and Jehonathan, the son of Uzziah, was in charge of his treasures, or of his treasuries, that were in the cities, and in the towns, and in the towers.)