John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Chronicles 21:1-27
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歷代志上 21:4-6 Cunpts
John Gill
Adam Clarke
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Chronicles 21:5
All they of Israel were a thousand thousand - Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand - In the parallel place, 2 Samuel 24:9 ; (note), the men of Israel are reckoned eight hundred thousand, and the men of Judah five hundred thousand. read more
Adam Clarke
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Chronicles 21:6
Levi and Benjamin counted he not - The rabbins give the following reason for this: Joab, seeing that this would bring down destruction upon the people, purposed to save two tribes. Should David ask, Why have you not numbered the Levites? Joab purposed to say, Because the Levites are not reckoned among the children of Israel. Should he ask, Why have you not numbered Benjamin? he would answer, Benjamin has been already sufficiently punished, on account of the treatment of the woman... read more
Spence, H. D. M., etc.
The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Chronicles 21:4
Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem . This short verse stands in the place of all the five verses of 2 Samuel 24:4-8 , with their interesting contents, giving the route which Joab and his assistants took, and the time occupied (nine months and twenty days) to their return. read more
Spence, H. D. M., etc.
The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Chronicles 21:5
The report of the numbers as given in this verse does not tally with that of the parallel place. Here they are three hundred thousand more for Israel, and thirty thousand fewer for Judah, than there. No really satisfactory explanation of these discrepancies has yet appeared. The somewhat ingenious suggestion that the Chronicle-compiler counted in the standing army (two hundred and eighty-eight thousand, 1 Chronicles 27:1-15 ) for Israel, and omitted from Judah a supposed "thirty thousand,"... read more
Spence, H. D. M., etc.
The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Chronicles 21:6
Averse to his task as Joab was, he may have been indebted to the memory of the exemption of Levi from census for the idea of enlarging upon it and omitting Benjamin as well. The important contents of this short verse are not found in Samuel, so that we can borrow no light thence. But Benjamin was "the least of the tribes" ( 21:1-23 ), and Peele has suggested that God would not permit the numbers of either of these tribes to be lessened, as he foresaw that they would be faithful to the throne... read more
Albert Barnes
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Chronicles 21:5
In 2 Samuel 24:9 the numbers are different. The explanation there given is not so generally accepted as the supposition that the numbers have, in one passage or the other (or possibly in both), suffered corruption. read more
Albert Barnes
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Chronicles 21:6
To omit the Levites would be to follow the precedent recorded in Numbers 1:47-49. The omission of Benjamin must he ascribed to a determination on the part of Joab to frustrate the king’s intention, whereby he might hope to avert God’s wrath from the people. read more
Joseph Benson
Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Chronicles 21:6
1 Chronicles 21:6. Levi and Benjamin counted he not Partly for the following reason, and principally by God’s gracious providence to Levi, because they were devoted to his service; and to Benjamin, because they were the least of all the tribes, having been almost extinct, (Judges 21:0.,) and because God foresaw that they would be faithful to the house of David in the division of the tribes, and therefore he would not have them diminished. And Joab also presumed to leave these two tribes... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Chronicles 21:1-6
Numbering the people, one would think, was no bad thing. Why should not the shepherd know the number of his flock? But God sees not as man sees. It is plain it was wrong in David to do it, and a great provocation to God, because he did it in the pride of his heart; and there is no sin that has in it more of contradiction and therefore more of offence to God than pride. The sin was David?s; he alone must bear the blame of it. But here we are told, I. How active the tempter was in it (1 Chron.... read more