And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.
Parallel translations
- WEB Again Yahweh’s anger burned against Israel, and he moved David against them, saying, “Go, count Israel and Judah.”
- BSB Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He stirred up David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.”
- NKJV Again the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, “Go, number Israel and Judah.”
- NASB Now the anger of the Lord burned against Israel again, and He incited David against them to say, “Go, count Israel and Judah.”
- NLT Once again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he caused David to harm them by taking a census. “Go and count the people of Israel and Judah,” the Lord told him.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The LORD's anger burned against Israel, and David was moved to take a census of the people.
Overview
This difficult verse states the LORD's anger as the backdrop, while 1 Chronicles 21:1 says Satan incited David, indicating God sovereignly permitted Satan's temptation as an instrument of judgment, much as in Job. Faithful readers hold both truths: God remains righteous and is never the author of sin, yet He governs all events, including the testing that exposes human pride.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- 1 Chr 21:1And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.
- 1 Chr 27:23–24But David took not the number of them from twenty years old and under: because the LORD had said he would increase Israel like to the stars of the heavens.
- Jas 1:13–14Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
- Gen 50:20But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
- 1 Kgs 22:20–23And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.
- Acts 4:28For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
- 2 Sam 12:11Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.
- Exod 7:3And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.
- Ezek 20:25Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live;
- 2 Sam 16:10And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?
- 1 Sam 26:19Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods.
- Gen 45:5Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
- Ezek 14:9And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.
- 2 Sam 21:1–14Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.
- 2 Th 2:11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.
How 2 Samuel 24:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.