1 Chronicles 27:23

23 And David took not their number from twenty years old and under; for Jehovah had said he would increase Israel as 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, Jiddo the son of Zechariah; for Benjamin, Jaasiel the son of Abner;

22 for Dan, Azareel the son of Jeroham. These were the princes of the tribes of Israel.

23 And David took not their number from twenty years old and under; for Jehovah had said he would increase Israel as the stars of heaven.

24 Joab the son of Zeruiah began to number, but he did not finish; and there fell wrath for it upon Israel; and the number was not put in the account of the chronicles of king David.

25 And over the king's treasures was Azmaveth the son of Adiel; and over the storehouses in the country, in the cities, and in the villages, and in the towers was Jonathan the son of Uzziah.