- Oct 2, 2011
- 3,508
- 782
- Country
- Canada
- Faith
- Christian
- Marital Status
- Married
2 Samuel 24:
Amplified Bible 1 Chronicles 21:
2 Samuel 24:
James explained the process in 1:
Horizontally speaking, it was David's own desire to number the people. He was proud of his own army, the impressive numbers, and his military success. He should have given the glory to God. Vertically, the LORD used the adversary-satan to incite/tempt David to take the census. Both are true.
God was not only against David; God used the adversary-satan to incite David against Israel, 2 Samuel 24:
Whose idea was it that David called for a census?
David's. He was proud of the numbers. God reduced them.
See also Why was God angry at David for taking the census?.
Was it the LORD's idea?1 Again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go, number Israel and Judah.”
Amplified Bible 1 Chronicles 21:
Was it the adversary-satan's idea?1 Satan [the adversary] stood up against Israel and incited David to count [the population of] Israel.
2 Samuel 24:
Was it David's idea?9 And Joab gave the sum of the numbering of the people to the king: in Israel there were 800,000 valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were 500,000. 10a But David’s heart struck him after he had numbered the people. And David said to the LORD, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done.”
James explained the process in 1:
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.
Horizontally speaking, it was David's own desire to number the people. He was proud of his own army, the impressive numbers, and his military success. He should have given the glory to God. Vertically, the LORD used the adversary-satan to incite/tempt David to take the census. Both are true.
God was not only against David; God used the adversary-satan to incite David against Israel, 2 Samuel 24:
1 Again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go, number Israel and Judah.” …
15 So the LORD sent a pestilence on Israel from the morning until the appointed time. And there died of the people from Dan to Beersheba 70,000 men.
Whose idea was it that David called for a census?
David's. He was proud of the numbers. God reduced them.
See also Why was God angry at David for taking the census?.
Last edited: