2 Samuel 24:2

Contextual Overview

¹ And again the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them, saying, Go, number Israel and Judah. ¹ Once again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he caused David to harm them by taking a census. "Go and count the people of Israel and Judah," the Lord told him. ¹ And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them, saying, Go, number Israel and Judah. ¹ The Lord was angry with Israel again, and he caused David to turn against the Israelites. He said, "Go, count the people of Israel and Judah." ¹ The Lord 's anger again raged against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, "Go count Israel and Judah." ¹ And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go number Israel and Judah. ¹ Again the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them, saying, Go, number Israel and Judah. ¹Now again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He incited David against them to say, "Go, count [the people of] Israel and Judah." ¹ Again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, "Go, number Israel and Judah." ¹ And the strong veniaunce of the Lord addide to be wrooth ayens Israel [Note: of this that the Lord wolde punysche the puple, he suffride Dauyth to be reisid bi pride to the noumbring of the puple; wherfor the gloss of Gregre on this place seith thus, The dedis of gouernours ben disposid for the maneris of sugetis, that ofte for the yuel of the floc, the liyf yhe of a good schepparde trespassith, for Dauyth was preisid bi God witnesse, and he was blowun with the bolnyng of sudeyn pride, and synnede in noumbringe puple, and the puple resseyuede peyne; for the hertis of gouernours ben disposid, vp the meritis of the puplis. The synne of the puple for which it was punyschid, is not expressid in the text, but in the book of Ebreu questiouns it is seid, that this was herfor, for the puple ayen stood not Dauyth as it ouyte, in the dede of Vrie, but for this dede was priuy til it was al doon; the puple myyte not withstonde Dauyth in the synne to be lettid, and aftir that this synne cam in to the knowing of the puple, the puple ouyte not to punysche it, for the peyne was determynd thanne of God, as it is opin in xii. co. bi the wordis of Nathan, therfor it is seid betere, that the synne of the puple, was the rebelte therof ayenus Dauyth in suynge Siba, sone of Bothry, that was the worste man and ful of dissencioun, and Siba aloone was punyschid for this rebelte. ], and he stiride in hem Dauid, seiynge to Joab, Go thou, and noumbre thou Israel and Juda.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Joab: 2 Samuel 2:13, 2 Samuel 8:16, 2 Samuel 20:23, 2 Samuel 23:37

Go now: etc. or, Compass now all, 1 Chronicles 21:2

from Dan: 2 Samuel 3:10, 2 Samuel 17:11, Judges 20:1

and number: We know not in what the sinfulness of this action consisted. Some think it was a contempt of the promise that the Israelites should be innumerable, and that they ought not to have been numbered without an express command, as in the days of Moses. Others suppose with Josephus that it was a kind of sacrilege, in omitting to collect the half-shekel a-piece for the use of the sanctuary. It however would appear that pride and ambition, and a desire of conquest, induced David to this measure, and rendered it so displeasing to God.

that I may: Deuteronomy 8:13, Deuteronomy 8:14, 2 Chronicles 32:25, 2 Chronicles 32:26, 2 Chronicles 32:31, Proverbs 29:23, Jeremiah 17:5, 2 Corinthians 12:7

Reciprocal: Exodus 30:12 - no plague 2 Samuel 24:7 - to Beersheba 2 Samuel 24:15 - from Dan Ezekiel 48:1 - Dan

Cross-References

Genesis 15:2
But Abram said, "O Lord God , what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?"

Genesis 15:2
And Abram said, O Lord Yahweh, what will you give me, seeing I go childless, and the son of the inheritance of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?

Genesis 15:2
But Abram said, "Lord God , what can you give me? I have no son, so my slave Eliezer from Damascus will get everything I own after I die."

Genesis 15:2
But Abram said, "O sovereign Lord , what will you give me since I continue to be childless, and my heir is Eliezer of Damascus?"

Genesis 15:2
And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house [is] this Eliezer of Damascus?

Genesis 15:2
Abram said, "Lord Yahweh, what will you give me, seeing I go childless, and he who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?"

Genesis 15:2
Abram said, "Lord GOD, what reward will You give me, since I am [leaving this world] childless, and he who will be the owner and heir of my house is this [servant] Eliezer from Damascus?"

Genesis 15:2
And Abram seide, Lord God, what schalt thou yyue to me? Y schal go with oute fre children, and this Damask, sone of Elieser, the procuratour of myn hous, schal be myn eir.

Genesis 15:2
And Abram saith, `Lord Jehovah, what dost Thou give to me, and I am going childless? and an acquired son in my house is Demmesek Eliezer.'

Genesis 15:2
But Abram replied, "O Lord GOD, what can You give me, since I remain childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which [was] with him,.... Or who was with him, even Joab, who was now at court, and was a counsellor of David, as well as his general; or which army was with Joab, a standing army he had the command of:

go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba; from the northern part of the land of Israel to the southern part of it, and this course was accordingly steered, 2 Samuel 24:6;

and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people; so that this appears to be done not through any urgent necessity, but merely out of curiosity, and to gratify the pride of his heart, and please himself with the thought of ruling such a numerous people, and brag of their numbers to other nations, and place his confidence therein; and no wonder it was displeasing to the Lord.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

1 Chronicles 21:2, supplies some missing words. This passage should run, as at 2 Samuel 24:4, “And the king said to Joab and to the princes of the host who were with him,” etc. (compare 1 Chronicles 27:22). They were employed “with Joab” as his assistants in the numbering, exactly as in the previous numbering Numbers 1:4 when a prince was appointed from each tribe to be “with” Moses and Aaron.