1 Chronicles 21 5

1 Chronicles 21:5 kjv

And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand men that drew sword: and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword.

1 Chronicles 21:5 nkjv

Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to David. All Israel had one million one hundred thousand men who drew the sword, and Judah had four hundred and seventy thousand men who drew the sword.

1 Chronicles 21:5 niv

Joab reported the number of the fighting men to David: In all Israel there were one million one hundred thousand men who could handle a sword, including four hundred and seventy thousand in Judah.

1 Chronicles 21:5 esv

And Joab gave the sum of the numbering of the people to David. In all Israel there were 1,100,000 men who drew the sword, and in Judah 470,000 who drew the sword.

1 Chronicles 21:5 nlt

and reported the number of people to David. There were 1,100,000 warriors in all Israel who could handle a sword, and 470,000 in Judah.

1 Chronicles 21 verses

1 Chronicles 21 5 Meaning

This verse presents the numerical outcome of the military census undertaken by King David through his commander Joab. It records that Joab reported to David a fighting force of one million one hundred thousand men ("a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand") from Israel (the northern tribes) and four hundred seventy thousand men ("four hundred threescore and ten thousand") from Judah, all categorized as those "that drew sword," indicating their readiness for combat. The emphasis on the sheer size of the army highlights David's substantial power and the nation's military strength at the time, although the act of conducting this census was seen as an act of sin stemming from a lack of trust in God.

1 Chronicles 21 5 Context

This verse is situated at the beginning of 1 Chronicles chapter 21, which recounts King David's sin of numbering the people. The immediate context of verse 5 is the culmination of Joab's nine-month and twenty-day census operation, providing the direct result presented to David. Historically, this event takes place near the end of David's reign, when the nation of Israel had achieved significant strength and prosperity under his leadership, culminating from a period of consolidating the kingdom and successful military campaigns. The book of Chronicles, written from a post-exilic perspective, aims to highlight David's role as the founder of the Temple and the dynasty, and emphasizes the spiritual lessons and consequences of obedience and disobedience within God's covenant. While 2 Samuel 24 frames the census as God's anger prompting David, 1 Chronicles 21 explicitly states that Satan "provoked David" (1 Chr 21:1) to undertake this census, which implicitly conveys that this action was not born out of divine command or true necessity but from pride or distrust. The sin of the census lay not in numbering per se, but in David's motivation—presumably to boast in his military might rather than rely on God for deliverance and victory.

1 Chronicles 21 5 Word analysis

• And Joab: יֹאָב (Yo'av). David's nephew and commander of his army. A formidable and sometimes ruthless figure (cf. 2 Sam 3:27; 2 Sam 20:8-10). His role in carrying out David's order, despite his own objections (1 Chr 21:3), underscores his ultimate loyalty to the king's command, however misguided.
• gave the sum of the number of the people: הִגִּישׁ אֶת־מִסְפַּר מִפְקַד־הָעָם (higgish 'et-mispar mifqad-ha'am). Literally, "he presented the number of the registration of the people." This highlights the completed tally of the census. The act of "numbering" (מִסְפַּר, mispar) was permissible when commanded by God (e.g., in the wilderness, Num 1, Num 26) but sinful when done out of human pride or distrust.
• unto David: דָּוִיד (Daviyd). The king, who initiated the census. His authority led to this action, and the responsibility for its sin lay ultimately with him.
• And all they of Israel: וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל (vekhawl-Yisra'el). Refers to the collective northern tribes, as distinguished from Judah. In the context of unified kingdom before the formal split, "Israel" can refer to all twelve tribes, but here it specifically contrasts with "Judah," anticipating the later division and highlighting regional differences in manpower contribution.
• were a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand men: הָיָה אֶלֶף אֲלָפִים וּמֵאָה אֶלֶף אִישׁ (hayah 'elef 'alafim u-me'ah 'elef 'ish). A direct numerical statement: 1,100,000 men. The use of "thousand thousand" emphasizes the massive scale.
• that drew sword: שֹׁלֵף חֶרֶב (sholef cherev). This phrase specifies that the count refers to fully capable, combat-ready soldiers. It indicates not just all able-bodied men but those specifically trained and equipped for warfare. This criterion strengthens the interpretation of David's census as primarily military in nature and driven by a desire to ascertain military might.
• and Judah: וִיהוּדָה (viYhudah). The tribe of Judah, David's own tribe, here distinguished numerically.
• was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men: וְאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת וְשִׁבְעִים אֶלֶף אִישׁ (ve'arba' me'ot ve-shiv'im 'elef 'ish). Numerically, 470,000 men. This number differs from the parallel account in 2 Samuel 24:9 (500,000 for Judah), which is often explained by different counting methods, scope (e.g., some forces already mustered, inclusion/exclusion of standing army or Benjamin), or perhaps varying records by ancient scribes rather than direct contradiction. The Chronicler might be focusing on the actual men in active service at that specific moment who were explicitly tallied.

1 Chronicles 21 5 Bonus section

The textual differences in numbers between 1 Chronicles 21:5 and 2 Samuel 24:9 are a classic point of discussion among Bible scholars. While 1 Chronicles 21:5 states 1,100,000 for Israel and 470,000 for Judah, 2 Samuel 24:9 gives 800,000 for Israel and 500,000 for Judah. Various solutions have been proposed, none diminishing the integrity of Scripture.

1. Scope of Census: Some suggest the Chronicler’s count for Israel includes soldiers in standing garrisons or specific non-Israelite auxiliary troops (e.g., foreigners serving David), or excludes particular tribes like Benjamin and Levi whom Joab may have refused to number entirely (1 Chr 27:23-24 implies Joab did not finish counting). Conversely, 2 Samuel might be limited to regular fighting men available for immediate conscription or main army.
2. Counting Methodology: Different "draw sword" criteria might be at play; for instance, 1 Chr might include veterans or those with more advanced combat training. The "Judah" number could reflect whether a portion of Judah's fighting men, perhaps already enrolled in royal guard or garrisons, were counted separately or differently in the two accounts.
3. Round-off or Summary: Ancient record-keeping sometimes used approximate numbers or different rounding conventions. Both texts serve to convey the immense size of David's army rather than providing a modern-style exact military inventory.Regardless of the numerical variance, the core theological message remains consistent across both accounts: David's sin, God's displeasure, the subsequent plague, and David's repentance, highlighting divine sovereignty and the folly of trusting in human strength. The numbers simply underscore the massive human asset that David chose to pride himself in.

1 Chronicles 21 5 Commentary

First Chronicles 21:5 is a direct consequence of King David's census, providing the quantifiable results of an act that the text explicitly states was instigated by Satan (v.1). While numbering the people was not inherently sinful, as seen in Moses' censuses for taxation or military enrollment sanctioned by God, David's specific census stemmed from a desire to gauge his own military strength and glory in human power rather than rely entirely on divine provision and protection. This impulse reflected a moment of distrust in God, bordering on pride, for which divine judgment would follow.

The reported figures—1,100,000 from Israel and 470,000 from Judah—represent a colossal military force for the ancient Near East, attesting to the peak of Israel's martial power under David. However, the subsequent divine judgment of a plague (v.14) underscored the truth that victory and security depend not on the multitude of an army but on God's favor (Ps 33:16-17). The specific mention of "men that drew sword" further emphasizes the military intent of the census. The slight numerical discrepancy with the parallel account in 2 Samuel 24 is not a contradiction but a common feature in ancient records, often attributable to differing reporting criteria, such as who was included or excluded (e.g., Joab's count not including Levi and Benjamin, or forces already under arms) or rounding. For the Chronicler, the precise numbers are less significant than the theological lesson: human strength, when idolized, provokes God's discipline, leading ultimately to repentance and an acknowledgment of divine sovereignty, paving the way for the Temple's foundation.Practical usage example:

• In ministry, relying solely on membership numbers for success metrics, rather than spiritual health and reliance on God.
• Individuals trusting only in their financial savings or career achievements for security, forgetting divine providence.