1 Chronicles 21:1-5

David's Military Census

1 Satan^[a] stood up against Israel and incited David to count [the people of] Israel.

2 So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, "Go and count Israel from Beer-sheba to Dan and bring [a report] to me so I can know their number."

3 Joab replied, "May the Lord multiply the number of His people a hundred times over! My lord the king, aren't they all my lord's servants? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?"

4 Yet the king's order prevailed over Joab. So Joab left and traveled throughout Israel and then returned to Jerusalem.

5 Joab gave David the total of the registration of the troops. In all Israel there were 1,100,000 swordsmen and in Judah itself 470,000 swordsmen.

1 Chronicles 21:1-5 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 21

Excepting the three last verses, is contained in 2Sa 24:1-25 with some few variations, which are there observed; see the notes there. 18894-950102-2025-1Ch21.2

Footnotes

• [a] Or An adversary; Jb 1:6; Zch 3:1-2