241 And the anger of Jehovah addeth to burn against Israel, and 'an adversary' moveth David about them, saying, 'Go, number Israel and Judah.' 2 And the king saith unto Joab, head of the host that 'is' with him, 'Go to and fro, I pray thee, through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even unto Beer-Sheba, and inspect ye the people—and I have known the number of the people.' 3 And Joab saith unto the king, 'Yea, Jehovah thy God doth add unto the people, as they are, a hundred times, and the eyes of my lord the king are seeing; and my lord the king, why is he desirous of this thing?' 4 And the word of the king is severe towards Joab, and against the heads of the force, and Joab goeth out, and the heads of the force, 'from' before the king to inspect the people, even Israel; 5 and they pass over the Jordan, and encamp in Aroer, on the right of the city that 'is' in the midst of the brook of Gad, and unto Jazer, 6 and they come in to Gilead, and unto the land of Tahtim-Hodshi, and they come in to Dan-Jaan, and round about unto Zidon, 7 and they come in to the fortress of Tyre, and all the cities of the Hivite, and of the Canaanite, and go out unto the south of Judah, to Beer-Sheba. 8 And they go to and fro through all the land, and come in at the end of nine months and twenty days to Jerusalem, 9 and Joab giveth the account of the inspection of the people unto the king, and Israel is eight hundred thousand men of valour, drawing sword, and the men of Judah five hundred thousand men.
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.