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1 Chronicles 21:1
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The Census of Israel and Judah

1 Now aSatan stood up against Israel, and moved David to1 number Israel.  
2 So David said to Joab and to the leaders of the people, “Go, number Israel from Beersheba to Dan, aand bring the number of them to me that I may know it.”  
3 And Joab answered, “May the Lord make His people a hundred times more than they are. But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? Why then does my lord require this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt in Israel?”
4 Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Therefore Joab departed and went throughout all Israel and came to Jerusalem.
5 Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to David. All Israel had one million one hundred thousand men who drew the sword, and Judah had four hundred and seventy thousand men who drew the sword.
6 aBut he did not count Levi and Benjamin among them, for the king’s1 word was abominable to Joab.  
7 And1 God was displeased with this thing; therefore He struck Israel.  
8 So David said to God, a“I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing; bbut now, I pray, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly.”  
Commentaries:
Barnes' Notes
<< 1 Chronicles 20:8   1 Chronicles 21:2 >>


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 moved David," etc. II Samuel 24:1 is not serious. All temptation is permitted by God. When evil spirits tempt us, they do so by permission (Job 1:12; Job 2:6; Luke 22:31, etc.). If Satan therefore provoked David to number the peopIe, God allowed him. And what God allows, He may be said to do. (Another view is maintained in the II Samuel 24:1 note).




Other Barnes' Notes entries containing 1 Chronicles 21:1:

2 Samuel 24:1
Job 1:6
Revelation 12:10

 

<< 1 Chronicles 20:8   1 Chronicles 21:2 >>

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