9<\/strong>. eight hundred thousand five hundred thousand<\/em> ] In 1Ch 21:5<\/span> the numbers are given as 1,100,000 for Israel, and 470,000 for Judah. This discrepancy may be due to textual corruption, but more probably arises from a difference in the original estimates, or in the oral tradition with respect to them, since the result of the census was not authoritatively registered in the state records (1Ch 27:24<\/span>). The conjecture that the standing army of 288,000 men (1Ch 27:1-15<\/span>) is here deducted from Israel, and some body of 30,000 troops added to Judah, is ingenious, but rendered improbable by the fact that it is necessary to add to the one and subtract from the other to make the totals equal to those of 1 Chron.<\/p>\n The numbers have been attacked as exaggerated, and far exceeding the possible capacity of the country. The numbers given imply a total population of five or six millions at least, and the area of the country is estimated at about 11,000 square miles. This gives (making allowance for the excepted tribes) between 500 and 600 to the square mile, a high but not impossible rate of population when the extreme fertility of the country in ancient times is taken into consideration. The ruins with which Palestine is covered in every direction prove that the population was exceptionally dense. See Smith’s Dict. of the Bible<\/em>, Art. Census<\/em>.<\/p>\n 1Ch 27:23<\/span> indicates sufficiently why the numbering was sinful. It is also stated in 1Ch 21:6<\/span>, that Joab purposely omitted Levi and Benjamin from the reckoning.<\/P> Eight hundred thousand … five hundred thousand – <\/B>In Chronicles the numbers are differently given. It is probable therefore that the Chronicler has included in his statement of the sum total some numbers which are not included here.<\/P><\/p>\n Verse 9<\/span>. In Israel eight hundred thousand – the men of Judah<\/B><\/I> were <\/B>five hundred thousand<\/B><\/I>] In the parallel place, 1Ch 21:5<\/span>, the sums are widely different: in Israel one million one hundred<\/I> thousand<\/I>, in Judah four hundred and seventy thousand<\/I>. Neither of these sums is too great, but they cannot be both correct; and which is the true number is difficult to say. The former seems the most likely; but more corruptions have taken place in the numbers<\/I> of the historical books of the Old Testament, than in any other part of the sacred records. To attempt to reconcile them in every part is lost labour; better at once acknowledge what cannot be successfully denied, that although the original writers of the Old Testament wrote under the influence of the Divine Spirit, yet we are not told that the same influence descended on all copiers<\/I> of their words, so as absolutely to prevent them from making mistakes. They might mistake, and they did mistake; but a careful collation of the different historical books serves to correct all essential errors of the scribes. See the Dissertations<\/I> of Dr. Kennicott<\/I> mentioned at the conclusion of the preceding chapter. 2Sa 23:39<\/span>.<\/P> <\/p>\n Eight hundred thousand.<\/B> <\/P> Object<\/B>. In 1Ch 21:5<\/span>, they are numbered 1,100,000. <\/P> Answ<\/I>. The sum here expressed is only of such as were not in the ordinary and settled militia waiting upon the king, which being 24,000 for every month, as is largely related, 1Ch 27<\/span>, amounts to 288,000, which either with their several commanders, or with the soldiers, placed in several garrisons, might very well make up 300,000. Or 288,000 may pass in such accounts for 300,000; it being frequent in such great sums to neglect a smaller number. But in the Book of the Chronicles, which was to gather up the fragments omitted in the former books, both sorts are put together, and so they amount to 1,100,000. <\/P> Five hundred thousand.<\/B> In 1Ch 21:5<\/span>, but 470,000. <\/P> Answ.<\/B> Either, <\/P> 1. They were exactly no more, but are called 500,000 in a round sum, as is usual in Scripture and other authors. Or, <\/P> 2. The garrison soldiers, and such as were employed in other services about the king, are here included, which are there excluded. Or, <\/P> 3. They were 300,000 when Joab gave up the number to the king, though presently after that they were but 470,000; 30,000 being slain by the plague in the tribe of Judah; which being Davids own tribe, it was but just and fit it should suffer more than the rest for this sin. And though it be true that Joab gave up the sum before the plague begun, yet the sacred penman of the Book of Chronicles thought fit to make a defalcation of them who had been swept away by the plague, that the judgment of God therein might be observed. Or, <\/P> 4. There are included here the 30,000 which belonged to the thirty colonels mentioned 2Sa 23<\/span>, who are excluded 1Ch 21<\/span>, although it be questionable whether those were all of the tribe of Judah. <\/P> <\/p>\n 9. Joab gave up the sum of thenumber of the people unto the king<\/B>The amount here stated,compared with 1Ch 21:5<\/span>, gives adifference of three hundred thousand. The discrepancy is onlyapparent, and admits of an easy reconciliation; thus (see 1Ch27:1-15<\/span>), there were twelve divisions of generals, who commandedmonthly, and whose duty was to keep guard on the royal person, eachhaving a body of troops consisting of twenty-four thousand men,which, together, formed an army of two hundred eighty-eight thousand;and as a separate detachment of twelve thousand was attendant on thetwelve princes of the twelve tribes mentioned in the same chapter, soboth are equal to three hundred thousand. These were not reckoned inthis book, because they were in the actual service of the king as aregular militia. But 1Ch 21:5<\/span>joins them to the rest, saying, “all those of Israel were onemillion, one hundred thousand”; whereas the author of Samuel,who reckons only the eight hundred thousand, does not say, “allthose of Israel,” but barely “and Israel were,” c. Itmust also be observed that, exclusive of the troops before mentioned,there was an army of observation on the frontiers of the Philistines’country, composed of thirty thousand men, as appears from 2Sa6:1<\/span> which, it seems, were included in the number of five hundredthousand of the people of Judah by the author of Samuel. But theauthor of Chronicles, who mentions only four hundred seventythousand, gives the number of that tribe exclusive of those thirtythousand men, because they were not all of the tribe of Judah, andtherefore he does not say, “all those of Judah,” as he hadsaid, “all those of Israel,” but only, “and those ofJudah.” Thus both accounts may be reconciled [DAVIDSON].<\/P> 2Sa24:10-14<\/span>. HE, HAVINGTHREE PLAGUESPROPOUNDED BY GAD,REPENTS, AND CHOOSESTHREE DAYS’PESTILENCE.<\/P><\/p>\n And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king<\/strong>,…. Having collected from the several captains employed in this work their several particular numbers, he put them together, and gave in the sum total to David:<\/p>\n and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword<\/strong>; though many of them might be under the age of twenty, yet being robust and tall, and fit to bear arms, though but sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, or nineteen years of age, were mustered, contrary to the law; which, according to Cornelius Bertram z was David’s sin, see 1Ch 27:23<\/span>. In 1Ch 21:5<\/span>, they are said to be a million and an hundred thousand, which is three hundred thousand more than the sum here given; several methods are taken to reconcile this; but what seems to be the best solution of the difficulty is what is observed by a Jew a, that here the number of the people in the several parts of the land of Israel was given, which were eight hundred thousand, there along with them, the numbers of the standing army which waited on the king in their courses, which were twenty four thousand every, month, and amounted in the twelve months to 288,000, and reckoning lo thousand officers to them, they make the sum of three hundred thousand wanted, see 1Ch 27:1<\/span>, c.<\/p>\n and the men of Judah [were] five hundred thousand men<\/strong>. In<\/p>\n 1Ch 21:5<\/span>, they are said to be only 470,000, thirty thousand less than here which may be accounted for by making use of a round number, though something wanting, as is often done; or else the thirty companies, consisting of a thousand each, under the eighty captains mentioned in 2Sa 23:8<\/span>, are taken into the account here, but left out in the book of Chronicles; or there were so many in the sum total of the men of Judah before the plague, but thirty thousand being consumed thereby, are left out in the latter accounts, so Kimchi; but the other solutions seem best: Levi and Benjamin were not counted; it being abominable to Joab, he did not finish it, and especially being displeasing to God, who smote Israel for it, 1Ch 21:6<\/span>.<\/p>\n z Lucubrat. Frauktall, c. 2. a R. Eliezer in Halicot Olam, tract. 4. c. 3. p. 181.<\/p>\n (9) In Israel eight hundred thousand.<\/strong>The numbers here differ greatly from those given in 1Ch. 21:5-6<\/span>; but there is no reason to suppose any corruption of the text in either case. Joab undertook the work unwillingly, and performed it imperfectly. According to 1Ch. 21:6<\/span> he refused altogether to number Levi and Benjamin; and according to 1Ch. 27:24<\/span> he finished not, and no official record was made of the result; neither was the number put in the account of the chronicles of king David. The numbers were, therefore, in part mere estimates. Here Israel is said to be 800,000, in Chronicles 1,100,000; but the latter probably includes an estimate of the omitted tribes of Benjamin and Levi, and perhaps of portions of other tribes. On the other hand, Judah is here 500,000 (a round number like all the rest), and in Chronicles 470,000. The difference is due perhaps to an estimate of the officiating priests and Levities reckoned to Judah. Another supposition is that the regular army of 288,000 (twelve divisions of 24,000 each) is included in Israel in one case and excluded in the other, and that in the same way in regard to Judah the thirty may have had command of a special body of 30,000. Possibly in one case the descendants of the old Canaanites were reckoned (since it appears from 2Ch. 2:17<\/span> that David had numbered them), and in the other were excluded. There is no reason to doubt the general reliability of the numbers, which would give a probable total population of five or six millions, or from 415 to 500 to a geographical square milea number not at all impossible in so fertile a country. (Robinsons estimate of the area of the country is about 12,000 geographical square miles.)<\/p>\n 9<\/strong>. <\/strong> Eight hundred thousand five hundred thousand <\/strong> 1Ch 21:5<\/span>, has one million one hundred thousand <\/em> and four hundred and seventy thousand. <\/em> Which of the two texts is the correct one it is impossible to decide. “They are only approximate statements in round numbers; and the difference in the two texts arose chiefly from the fact that the statements were merely founded upon oral tradition, since, according to 1Ch 27:24<\/span>, the result of the census was not inserted in the annals of the kingdom.” Keil.<\/p>\n 2Sa 24:9<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. <\/strong>In Israel eight hundred thousandof Judah five hundred thousand<\/em><\/strong><\/strong> There are two returns left us of this numbering; the present, and that in 1Ch 21:5<\/span> which differ considerably from each other, especially in relation to the men of Israel, who, in the first, are returned but 800,000, but in the last 1,100,000; but, I think, a careful attention to both the texts, and to the nature of the thing, will easily reconcile them. The matter appears to me thus: Joab, who resolved from the beginning not to number the people, but who at the same time wished to shew his own tribe in the best light, and make their number as considerable as he could, numbered every man among them, from twenty years old and upwards, and so returned them to be 500,000. But in Israel he only made a return of such men as were exercised and proved in arms; and therefore the number of persons above twenty years old is less in his return here than in Chronicles. In a word, in the present text the whole of Judah <\/em>is returned, and only the men of approved valour in Israel. In Chronicles, the whole of Israel <\/em>is expressly returned; but the particle all <\/em>is not prefixed to those of Judah; probably, therefore, the men of tried valour in that tribe only are included in that return; and if so, the returns must of necessity be very different. Mr. <\/p>\n Maundrell observes, that “in travelling from Kane-leban to Beer, the country presented nothing to the view, in most places, but naked rocks, mountains, and precipices; at sight of which pilgrims are apt to be much astonished and baulked in their expectations, finding that country in such an inhospitable condition, concerning whose pleasantness and plenty they had before formed in their minds such high ideas, from the description given of it in the word of God; insomuch that it almost startles their faith, when they reflect how it could be possible for a land like this to supply food for so prodigious a number of inhabitants as are here said to have been polled in the twelve tribes at one time; the sum given in by Joab amounting to no less than 1,300,000 fighting men, besides women and children. But it is certain, that any man, who is not a little biassed to infidelity before, may see, as he passes along, arguments enough to support his faith against such scruples. For it is easy for any one to observe, that these rocks and hills must have been anciently covered with earth, and cultivated, and made to contribute to the maintenance of the inhabitants no less than if the country had been all plain; nay, perhaps, much more: forasmuch as such a mountainous and uneven surface affords a larger space of ground for cultivation than this country would amount to, if it were all reduced to a perfect level. For the husbanding of these mountains, their manner was, to gather up the stones, and place them in several lines along the sides of the hills, in form of a wall. By such borders they supported the mould from tumbling or being washed down, and formed many beds of excellent soil, rising gradually one above another, from the bottom to the top of the mountains. Of this form of culture you see evident footsteps wherever you go in all the mountains of Palestine. Thus the very rocks were made fruitful: and, perhaps, there is no spot of ground in this <\/em>whole land which was not formerly improved, to the production of something or other, ministering to the sustenance of human life. For, than the plain countries nothing can be more fruitful, whether for the production of corn or cattle, and consequently of milk. The hills, though improper for all cattle except goats, yet being disposed into such beds as are afore-described, served very well to bear corn, melons, gourds, cucumbers, and such like garden-stuff, which makes the principal food of these countries for several months in the year. The most rocky parts of all, which could not well be adjusted in that manner for the production of corn, might yet serve for the plantation of vines and olive trees; which delight to extract, the one their fatness, the other their sprightly juice, chiefly out of such dry and flinty places: and the great plain adjoining to the Dead Sea, which, by reason of its saltness, might be thought unserviceable both for cattle, corn, olives, and vines, hath yet its proper usefulness for the nourishment of bees, and for the fabrick of honey; of which Josephus gives us his testimony, De Bell. Jud. l. v. c. 4 and I have reason to believe it, because when I was there, I perceived in many places a smell of honey and wax as strong as if one had been in an apiary. Why, then, might not this country very well maintain the vast number of its inhabitants, being in every part so productive of either milk, corn, wine, oil, or honey, which are the principal food of those eastern nations? The constitution of their bodies, and the nature of their clime, inclining them to a more abstemious diet than we use in England, and other colder regions.” Journey from Aleppo, p. 65. See a curious Dissertation of Professor Michaelis on this subject: in which, not to mention his judicious observations upon the abundance which commerce procured to Palestine, in this respect pretty similar to Holland, and upon the causes which concurred to render hot countries more proper than ours to feed and clothe innumerable multitudes of inhabitants, the celebrated author shews, that by virtue of the conquests of David, and even long before, the Israelites had obtained a right of feeding their flocks freely, after the manner of the Nomades, throughout all Arabia, as far as the banks of the Euphrates. <\/p>\n 2Sa 24:9 And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah [were] five hundred thousand men.<\/p>\n Ver. 9. And there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men.<\/strong> ] Another prophet saith, eleven hundred thousand, 1Ch 21:5 taking in Levi and Benjamin, which Joab reckoned not. 1Ch 21:6 The men of Judah also were five hundred thousand men. Now a man would wonder at so great numbers in so small a land: for Judea was not above two hundred miles long and fifty miles broad, say geographers; not near the half of England by much. These great numbers were somewhat abated by the following pestilence: like as the English lately were by the sweating sickness, which reigned here some forty years together, and slew so many, that strangers wondered how this island could be so populous, to bear and bury such incredible multitudes.<\/p>\n Israel = 800,000 “valiant men”. Hebrew. ‘ish. App-14. <\/p>\n Judah = 500,000 “men”. Hebrew. ‘ish. App-14. [Compare 1Ch 21:5, a different classification. Israel = 1,100,000, “all they of Israel that drew sword”: i.e. all adults, not necessarily “valiant”. Judah = 470,000 “men that drew sword”; not all the “men “by 30,000. ] <\/p>\n in Israel <\/p>\n Cf. 1Ch 21:5. The total military strength of Israel (the northern kingdom) was 1,100,000, and of Judah 500,000. The numbers actually set in array were, of Israel, 800,000; of Judah, 470,000. <\/p>\n eight hundred thousand: 1Ch 21:5, 1Ch 21:6, 1Ch 27:23, 1Ch 27:24 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Gen 49:8 – thy hand Num 1:3 – able Num 1:26 – General Num 1:27 – General Num 1:46 – General Jdg 20:2 – drew sword 1Sa 11:8 – the children<\/p>\n 24:9 And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel {d} eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah [were] {e} five hundred thousand men.<\/p>\n (d) According to Joab’s count: for in all there were eleven hundred thousand, 1Ch 21:5.<\/p>\n (e) Including the Benjamites with them, or else they had but four hundred and seventy thousand.<\/p>\n And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah [were] five hundred thousand men. 9. eight hundred thousand five hundred thousand ] In 1Ch 21:5 the numbers are given as … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 24:9”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8713","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8713","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8713"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8713\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8713"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8713"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8713"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"