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Matthew Henry

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Chronicles 21:1

And Satan stood up against Israel - See the notes on the parallel place, 2 Samuel 24:1 ; (note), etc. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Chronicles 21:1

EXPOSITION This very important chapter in David's history is the parallel of 2 Samuel 24:1-25 , which contains some details not found here, e.g. the route taken by those who went to number Israel ( 2 Samuel 24:5-8 ), and omits others. This chapter furnishes one of the clearer proofs (in respect of what it supplies, not found in Samuel) that its indebtedness is not to that book, but to a work open as well to the compiler of Chronicles as to the writer of Samuel. Its contents... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Chronicles 21:2

And to the rulers of the people . So Numbers 1:4 , "And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head of the house of his fathers" (see also 1 Chronicles 27:22-24 ; 2 Samuel 24:4 , 2 Samuel 24:5 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Chronicles 21:3

But my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? The place of this perfectly intelligible sentence, indicating that Joab discerned the object of David in desiring the numbering of the people, is occupied in the Book of Samuel by the words, "And that the eyes of my lord the king may see it;" which some for no very evident reason prefer. It was, no doubt, a very radical element of David's sin in this matter that he was thinking of the nation too much as his own servants, instead of... 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

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Chronicles 21:1

As the books of Scripture are arranged in our Version, Satan is here for the first time by name introduced to us. He appears not merely as an “adversary” who seeks to injure man from without, but as a Tempter able to ruin him by suggesting sinful acts and thoughts from within. In this point of view, the revelation made of him here is the most advanced that we find in the Old Testament.The difficulty in reconciling the statement here, “Satan provoked David,” etc. with that of Samuel, “the Lord... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Chronicles 21:1

1 Chronicles 21:1. Satan stood up against Israel Before the Lord and his tribunal, to accuse David and Israel, and to ask God’s permission to tempt David. Standing is the accuser’s posture before men’s tribunals; and consequently the Holy Scriptures (which use to speak of the things of God after the manner of men, to bring them down to our capacities) elsewhere represent Satan in this posture. See 1 Kings 22:21; Zechariah 3:1. In 2 Samuel 24:1, it is said, The anger of the Lord was... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Chronicles 21:3

1 Chronicles 21:3. Why will he be Or, why should this be; a cause of trespass Or, an occasion of punishment; (Hebrew words, which signify sin, being often used for the punishment of sin,) to, or against Israel? Why wilt thou provoke God by this sin to punish Israel? He speaks thus because God commonly punishes the people for the sins of their rulers, the people being for the most part guilty of their rulers’ sins, in one kind or other. read more

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