2 Samuel 24:2

“For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which [was] with him, etc.] 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, (<102406>2 Samuel 24:6,7); and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people; so that this appears to be done not through any urgent necessity, but merely out of curiosity, and to gratify the pride of his heart, and please himself with the…”

“1 Chronicles 21:2, supplies some missing words. This passage should run, as at 2 Samuel 24:4, “And the king said to Joab and to the princes of the host who were with him,” etc. (compare 1 Chronicles 27:22). They were employed “with Joab” as his assistants in the numbering, exactly as in the previous numbering Numbers 1:4 when a prince was appointed from each tribe to be “with” Moses and Aaron. return to 'Top of Page'”

“24:2 Dan and Beersheba were the traditional northern and southern boundaries of Israel. This phrase meant the entire land of Israel.”

“Joab: Sa2 2:13, Sa2 8:16, Sa2 20:23, Sa2 23:37 Go now: etc. or, Compass now all, Ch1 21:2 from Dan: Sa2 3:10, Sa2 17:11; Jdg 20:1 and number: We know not in what the sinfulness of this action consisted. Some think it was a contempt of the promise that the Israelites should be innumerable, and that they ought not to have been numbered without an express command, as in the days of Moses. Others suppose with Josephus that it was a kind of sacrilege, in omitting to collect the half-shekel a-piece for the use of the sanctuary. It however would appear that pride and ambition, and a desire of conquest, induced David to this measure, and rendered it so displeasing to God. that I may: Deu 8:13, Deu…”