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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 24:1-9

Here we have, I. The orders which David gave to Joab to number the people of Israel and Judah, 2 Sam. 24:1, 2. Two things here seem strange:?1. The sinfulness of this. What harm was there in it? Did not Moses twice number the people without any crime? Does not political arithmetic come in among the other policies of a prince? Should not the shepherd know the number of his sheep? Does not the Son of David know all his own by name? Might not he make good use of this calculation? What evil has he... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 24:1

And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel ,.... It had been kindled, and appeared before in sending a three years' famine among them for Saul's ill usage of the Gibeonites, 2 Samuel 21:1 ; and now it broke forth again, either for some secret sins committed, as Kimchi suggests, or for the rebellion of Absalom, and the insurrection of Sheba, in which multitudes of them joined; so Abarbinel; no doubt there was cause for it, though it is not expressed: and he moved David... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 24:2

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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 24:3

And Joab said unto the king ,.... Not so rudely and insolently as he did on account of his mourning for Absalom, but in a more modest, decent, and polite manner: now the Lord thy God add unto the people (how many soever they be) an hundredfold ; he wished his subjects were an hundred times more numerous than they were: and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it ; that he might live to see with his own eyes so great an increase: but why doth my lord the king delight in this... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 24:4

Notwithstanding the king's word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host ,.... Who it seems were of the same mind with Joab, and were against numbering the people, yet their arguments and remonstrances were of no avail with the king; he was determined it should be done, and laid his commands upon them to do it, which they were obliged to comply with: and Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel ; seeing... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 24:1

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 ( 1 Chronicles 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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 24:3

Joab said unto the king - This very bad man saw that the measure now recommended by the king was a wrong one, and might be ruinous to the people, and therefore he remonstrates against it in a very sensible speech; but the king was infatuated, and would hear no reason. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 24:1

EXPOSITION And again the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel. It is probable that this chapter once stood in intimate connection with 2 Samuel 21:1-22 ; and that the famine therein described was followed by a pestilence, of which the blame largely rested upon David, though the sin punished by it was fully shared by the people. In saying that David was moved of Jehovah to number Israel and Judah, the writer acknowledges the great truth that all action, both good and evil, is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 24:1-2

( 1 Chronicles 21:1 , 1 Chronicles 21:2 ).—( JERUSALEM .) A sinful census. 1 . This census appears to have been ordered by David in one of the later years of his life. The word "again" ( 2 Samuel 24:1 ) indicates that it was subsequent to the famine ( 2 Samuel 21:1 , 2 Samuel 21:14 ; verse 25); and a measure that occupied Joab and the captains of the host nine months and twenty days could only have been accomplished during a time of settled peace, such as succeeded the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 24:1-9

The facts are: 1 . On account of some transgressions, God, being angry with Israel, permits some one to incite David to number the people. 2 . David, on issuing his commands to Joab, is met with a remonstrance from him and the captains of the host. 3 . But the king persisting in his desire, Joab and his officers and men apply themselves to the work, and at the end of nine months and twenty days return the number of men capable of serving in war at 1,300,000. The difficulties... read more

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