1 Chronicles 27:23

23 noluit autem David numerare eos a viginti annis inferius quia dixerat Dominus ut multiplicaret Israhel quasi stellas caeli

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.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F11 Lucubrat. Franktall, c. 2.

1 Chronicles 27:23 In-Context

21 et dimidio tribus Manasse in Galaad Iaddo filius Zacchariae Beniamin autem Iasihel filius Abner

22 Dan vero Ezrihel filius Hieroam hii principes filiorum Israhel

23 noluit autem David numerare eos a viginti annis inferius quia dixerat Dominus ut multiplicaret Israhel quasi stellas caeli

24 Ioab filius Sarviae coeperat numerare nec conplevit quia super hoc ira inruerat in Israhel et idcirco numerus eorum qui fuerant recensiti non est relatus in fastos regis David

25 super thesauros autem regis fuit Azmoth filius Adihel his autem thesauris qui erant in urbibus et in vicis et in turribus praesidebat Ionathan filius Oziae