2 Samuel 24:1
in 2 Samuel 24Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He stirred up David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And again the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them, saying, Go, number Israel and Judah.
KJV
And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 24
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel - This sentence is the heading of the whole chapter, which goes on to describe the sin which kindled this anger, namely, the numbering of the people 1Ch 21:7-8; 1Ch 27:24. There is no note of time, except that the word “again” shows that these events happened “after” those of 2 Sam. 21. (Compare also 2Sa 24:25; 2Sa 21:14.)
This site's exposition
he moved David against them
on 2 Samuel 24:1-2
Two Scriptures name two different agents for the same act. Here the anger of the Lord was kindled and he moved David to number the people; 1 Chronicles 21:1 says Satan stood up against Israel and provoked David to the census. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown read the adversary as the active mover while God's supporting grace was judicially withdrawn, and Matthew Henry says the same in his own words, that Satan tempted while God permitted. Both texts stand as written, and the readings are named rather than resolved.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
It was a needless trouble both to himself and to his people. (5.) Some think that it was an affront to the ancient promise which God made to Abraham, that his seed should be innumerable as the dust of the earth; it savoured of distrust of that promise, or a design to show that it was not fulfilled in the letter of it.
We are sure that God is not the author of sin; he tempts no man: we are told ( 1 Chron. xxi. 1 ) that Satan provoked David to number Israel. Satan, as an enemy, suggested it for a sin, as he put it into the heart of Judas to betray Christ.
And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel,....
Though it was David's sin that immediately opened the sluice, the sins of the people all contributed to the deluge. As to the punishment that must be inflicted, (1.) David is told to choose what rod he will be beaten with,
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Satan was the active mover, while God only withdrew His supporting grace, and the great tempter prevailed against the king. The order was given to Joab, who, though not generally restrained by religious scruples, did not fail to present, in strong terms (see on 1Ch 21:3), the sin and danger of this measure.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
He moved David against them - God could not be angry with David for numbering the people if he moved him to do it; but in the parallel place (1Ch 21:1) it is expressly said, Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. David, in all probability, slackening in his piety and confidence toward God, and meditating some extension of his dominions without the Divine counsel or command, was naturally curious to know whether the number of fighting men in his empire was sufficient for the work which he had projected. See more on 2Sa 24:10 (note). He therefore orders Joab and the captains to take an exact account of all the effective men in Israel and Judah. God is justly displeased with this conduct, and determines that the props of his vain ambition shall be taken away, either by famine, war, or pestilence.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Adonoy's anger was again kindled against Yisroel. I do not know what it was [they did].
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 7 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
16 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֙סֶף֙ | vaiyosef | and it repeated | H3254 → | 212 times |
| אַף־ | ʾaf- | [the] anger of | H639 → | 276 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| לַחֲר֖וֹת | lacharot | to burn | H2734 → | 91 times |
| בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | beyisrael | on Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וַיָּ֨סֶת | vaiyaset | and he incited | H5496 → | |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| דָּוִ֤ד | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| בָּהֶם֙ | bahem | against <the> them | ||
| לֵאמֹ֔ר | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לֵ֛ךְ | lekh | go | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| מְנֵ֥ה | meneh | count | H4487 → | |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יְהוּדָֽה׃ | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
וַיֹּ֙סֶף֙and it repeated
vaiyosefH3254 →212 times
אַף־[the] anger of
ʾaf-H639 →276 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
לַחֲר֖וֹתto burn
lacharotH2734 →91 times
בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לon Israel
beyisraelH3478 →2507 times
וַיָּ֨סֶתand he incited
vaiyasetH5496 →
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
דָּוִ֤דDavid
davidH1732 →999 times
בָּהֶם֙against <the> them
bahem
לֵאמֹ֔ר<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
לֵ֛ךְgo
lekhH1980 →1546 times
מְנֵ֥הcount
menehH4487 →
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
יְהוּדָֽה׃Judah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 50:20As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people.
it leads to
- Romans 8:28
And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
- Psalms 119:71
It was good for me to be afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes.
- Genesis 45:5–8
And now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves that you sold me into this place, because it was to save lives that God sent me before you.
- Genesis 37:18–20
Now Joseph’s brothers saw him in the distance, and before he arrived, they plotted to kill him.
- Acts 2:23
He was delivered up by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, and you, by the hands of the lawless, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross.
- Romans 8:28
Through
1 Chronicles 21:1Then Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 24:1–25
Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He stirred up David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.”
- Zechariah 3:1
Then the angel showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, with Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.
- Job 2:1
On another day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before Him.
- 2 Samuel 24:1–25
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
On this verse
On this chapter
About 2 Samuel
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.