1 Chronicles 21:6

_BUT LEVI AND BENJAMIN COUNTED HE NOT AMONG THEM: FOR THE KING'S WORD WAS ABOMINABLE TO JOAB._ Levi and Benjamin counted he not. If this census was ordered with a view to the imposition of taxes, this alone would account for Levi, who were not warriors (1 Chronicles 21:5), not being numbered (see the notes at Numbers 1:47). The population of Benjamin had been taken (see the notes at 1 Chronicles 7:6), and the register preserved in the archives of that tribe. This, however, was taken on another occasion, and by other agency than that of Joab. The non-numbering of these two tribes might have originated in the special and gracious providence of God, partly because Levi was devoted to His servic

Verse 1 Chronicles 21:6. _LEVI AND BENJAMIN COUNTED HE NOT_] The rabbins give the following reason for this: Joab, seeing that this would bring down destruction upon the people, purposed to save two tribes. Should David ask, Why have you not numbered the Levites? Joab purposed to say, Because the Levites are not reckoned among the children of Israel. Should he ask, Why have you not numbered Benjamin? he would answer, Benjamin has been already sufficiently punished, on account of the treatment of the woman at Gibeah: if, therefore, this tribe were to be again punished, who would remain?...

To omit the Levites would be to follow the precedent recorded in Numbers 1:47. The omission of Benjamin must he ascribed to a determination on the part of Joab to frustrate the king’s intention, whereby he might hope to avert God’s wrath from the people....

EXPOSITION This very important chapter in David's history is the parallel of 2 Samuel 24:1, which contains some details not found here, _e.g._ the route taken by those who went to number Israel (2 Samuel 24:5), and omits others. This chapter furnishes one of the clearer proofs (in respect of what it supplies, _not _found in Samuel) that its indebtedness is not to that book, but to a work open as well to the compiler of Chronicles as to the writer of Samuel. Its contents fall into five sections. 1. David's command to number the people, with Joab's remonstrances (2 Samuel 24:1). 2. The means taken to rouse David to a sense of his sin, and

See Gill "1Ch 21:1"....

1 Chronicles 21:1. _And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel._ Israel had greatly offended and grieved God, and it was to be punished. God punished one sin by another: the sin of David works for the chastisement of a sinful people. 1 Chronicles 21:2. _And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it._ He had got proud, he had begun to depend upon the number of his people. In truth, it was a large population under his sway, five millions or more, and he, that had been a shepherd lad, that in his early youth had trusted in his God, now thinking himself a great man, somewhat in the spirit of Nebuchadnezzar, begins t

10. THE NUMBERING OF THE PEOPLE AND THE PUNISHMENT CHAPTER 21 _ 1. David's failure in numbering the people (1 Chronicles 21:1)_ 2. David's confession and the message of God (1 Chronicles 21:8) 3. David's answer and the punishment (1 Chronicles 21:13) 4. The altar in the threshing floor of Ornan (1 Chronicles 21:18) On the alleged discrepancy between the statement in 2 Samuel 24:1 “And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and He moved (lite

1 CHRONICLES 21:1 TO 1 CHRONICLES 22:1 THE NUMBERING OF THE HOSTS; THE PUNISHMENT (see notes on 2 Samuel 24:1). There are many variations from the corresponding passage in 2 S., and it is uncertain whether the Chronicler used any other source or not. 1 Chronicles 21:1. And Satan stood up: in 2 Samuel 24:1 the temptation comes from Yahweh; the Chronicler altered this as unfitting in view of the developed doctrine of God which had supervened. In the earlier literature the term Satan means adversary ...

_Levi_ In Numbers 1:49 it is ordained that Levi is not to be numbered among the children of Israel, i.e. treated as liable to military service. The Levites were, however, numbered separately; Numbers 3:15; Numbers 26:57. in 2 Sam. there is nothing to correspond with this verse....

LESSON TEN 21-22 A MILITARY CENSUS AND A PLAGUE 13. DAVID'S MILITARY CENSUS AND ITS CONSEQUENCES (Chapter 21) INTRODUCTION The final serious mistake David made was this military census. God did not withhold judgment. Israel suffered. David repented and begged for God's mercy. Preparing for the building of the Temple and charging Solomon with the responsibility of carrying out the plans occupied king David's last days. TEXT 1 Chronicles 21:1. And Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel. 2. And David said to Joab and to the princes of the people, Go, number Israel from Beer-sheba even to Dan; and bring me word, that I may know the sum of them. 3. And Joab said, Jehovah make his people a hundred times as many as they are: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants; Why doth my lord require this thing