241 Once again God's anger blazed out against Israel. He tested David by telling him, "Go and take a census of Israel and Judah." 2 So David gave orders to Joab and the army officers under him, "Canvass all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and get a count of the population. I want to know the number." 3 But Joab resisted the king: "May your God multiply people by the hundreds right before the eyes of my master the king, but why on earth would you do a thing like this?" 4 Nevertheless, the king insisted, and so Joab and the army officers left the king to take a census of Israel. 5 They crossed the Jordan and began with Aroer and the town in the canyon of the Gadites near Jazer, 6 proceeded through Gilead, passed Hermon, then on to Dan, but detoured Sidon. 7 They covered Fort Tyre and all the Hivite and Canaanite cities, and finally reached the Negev of Judah at Beersheba. 8 They canvassed the whole country and after nine months and twenty days arrived back in Jerusalem. 9 Joab gave the results of the census to the king: 800,000 able-bodied fighting men in Israel; in Judah 500,000.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Samuel 24:1-9
Commentary on 2 Samuel 24:1-9
(Read 2 Samuel 24:1-9)
For the people's sin David was left to act wrong, and in his chastisement they received punishment. This example throws light upon God's government of the world, and furnishes a useful lesson. The pride of David's heart, was his sin in numbering of the people. He thought thereby to appear the more formidable, trusting in an arm of flesh more than he should have done, and though he had written so much of trusting in God only. God judges not of sin as we do. What appears to us harmless, or, at least, but a small offence, may be a great sin in the eye of God, who discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart. Even ungodly men can discern evil tempers and wrong conduct in believers, of which they themselves often remain unconscious. But God seldom allows those whom he loves the pleasures they sinfully covet.