God incited David

[jsimms615]

In 2 Samuel 24:1 it says that God's anger burned against Israel and that God incited David against them. David then called for a census. After the census, God gave David a choice between 3 things that God would do to them.
I am a little unclear about what God was angry about in verse 1 before the census happened? There doesn't seem to be any outstanding issues that would lead to that. Anybody have any thoughts on this?

 

[ContentInHim]

This bit confuses me also. I think that we don't have all the story. I've ordered a Stone's Edition Tanakh which should arrive any day and I'll check the notes to post what the sages have said about this.

 

[Fireinfolding]

Heres two places been thinking on this myself

2Sam 24:1 And again the ~ANGER~ OF the LORD was KINDLED against ~Israel~, and he moved David against ~them~ ((( to say )) Go, number Israel and Judah.

1Cr 21:1 And ~SATAN~ STOOD UP against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.



I'm getting... be slow "to anger" be "not easily provoked" be "slow to speak" and accepting that one can be moved against one without a cause

Ok kidding... great question though

Peace

Fireinfolding

 

[jsimms615]

The only thing I can come up with is that the stories in chapter 21 of 2 Samuel and this story in chapter 24 are overlapping. So, God was still angry about the Gibeonites and how Saul shed their blood. 1 Samuel 21:1

It still doesn't explain the inconsistence though between chapter 24 of Samuel and what 1 Chr 21:1 says. I don't know.

 

[ContentInHim]

24:1, This episode continues the misfortunes listed in the previous chapters. Although Scripture does not specify which sin had precipitated God's anger against Israel, the Midrash asserts that the people sinned by not seeking a more active role in the building of the Temple, although David himself had made such an effort and was rebuffed (Ch. 7). [It is interesting to note that in fact the entire episode ends when an altar is built upon the threshing floor of Araunah, the future site of the Temple.]

Radak explains that all such calamities are the result of national sinfulness, but God brings about the punishments by means of natural and common phenomena such as political discord or droughts. In this case, David was enticed to conduct a national census. The verse does not necessarily mean that God commanded or caused David to do so. The parallel verse in I Chronicles (21:1) reads "A satan, i.e., an evil impulse (Radak), enticed David to count Israel."

Well, my new Tanakh was waiting on my front porch! Unfortunately, the notes only restate what we've posted here.

 

[LamorakDesGalis]

In 2 Samuel 24:1 it says that God's anger burned against Israel and that God incited David against them. David then called for a census. After the census, God gave David a choice between 3 things that God would do to them.
I am a little unclear about what God was angry about in verse 1 before the census happened? There doesn't seem to be any outstanding issues that would lead to that. Anybody have any thoughts on this?

We are not told why God was angry with Israel.

Concerning the parallel verse in 1 Chronicles 21:1
In Hebrew, "satan" means adversary. If the reference is to Satan, then the article is used with the word. Many versions translate 1 Chron 21:1 as "Satan" the personal name. The problem is that it does not have the article. Here is how another translation rendered it:

NAB 1 Chronicles 21:1 A satan rose up against Israel, and he enticed David into taking a census of Israel. Therefore David said, "This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of holocausts for Israel."

In other words, an adversary rose up against Israel rather than "The" Satan. This adversary would be something like a nation who poses a military threat to David's kingdom.

Another translation renders it this way:
NET 1 Chronicles 21:1 An adversary opposed Israel, inciting David to count how many warriors Israel had.

So the sequence of events is this:
1) God's anger burned against Israel
2) A hostile enemy provoked David to make a choice
3) David decided to take a census to number the people. He could have chosen to depend upon God.
4) God allowed David to choose the consequences of the punishment.


LDG

 

[jsimms615]

We are not told why God was angry with Israel.

Concerning the parallel verse in 1 Chronicles 21:1
In Hebrew, "satan" means adversary. If the reference is to Satan, then the article is used with the word. Many versions translate 1 Chron 21:1 as "Satan" the personal name. The problem is that it does not have the article. Here is how another translation rendered it:

NAB 1 Chronicles 21:1 A satan rose up against Israel, and he enticed David into taking a census of Israel. Therefore David said, "This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of holocausts for Israel."

In other words, an adversary rose up against Israel rather than "The" Satan. This adversary would be something like a nation who poses a military threat to David's kingdom.

Another translation renders it this way:
NET 1 Chronicles 21:1 An adversary opposed Israel, inciting David to count how many warriors Israel had.

So the sequence of events is this:
1) God's anger burned against Israel
2) A hostile enemy provoked David to make a choice
3) David decided to take a census to number the people. He could have chosen to depend upon God.
4) God allowed David to choose the consequences of the punishment.


LDG

That makes a lot of sense. Thanks for that insight.