1 Chronicles 27 23

1 Chronicles 27:23 kjv

But 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.

1 Chronicles 27:23 nkjv

But David did not take the number of those twenty years old and under, because the LORD had said He would multiply Israel like the stars of the heavens.

1 Chronicles 27:23 niv

David did not take the number of the men twenty years old or less, because the LORD had promised to make Israel as numerous as the stars in the sky.

1 Chronicles 27:23 esv

David did not count those below twenty years of age, for the LORD had promised to make Israel as many as the stars of heaven.

1 Chronicles 27:23 nlt

When David took his census, he did not count those who were younger than twenty years of age, because the LORD had promised to make the Israelites as numerous as the stars in heaven.

1 Chronicles 27 verses

1 Chronicles 27 23 Meaning

First Chronicles 27:23 signifies King David's decision to refrain from numbering the Israelites who were twenty years old and younger. This choice was driven by a deep reverence for and trust in the Lord's immutable promise to Abraham and his descendants, that Israel would be multiplied far beyond human computation, like the countless stars of heaven. It showcases a king who learned from past mistakes of self-reliance, acknowledging God as the sole source of true strength and growth.

1 Chronicles 27 23 Context

1 Chronicles 27 details the administrative and military structure David established for his kingdom, including the commanders of the twelve divisions, tribal leaders, and various royal officials. This verse appears within a list that might seem to imply a complete census. However, 1 Chronicles 27:23 acts as an important qualification, serving as a powerful counterpoint to David's earlier disastrous census recounted in 1 Chronicles 21 and 2 Samuel 24. That previous census was initiated by David (or incited by Satan, as Chronicles indicates) for reasons of pride or military boasting, leading to divine judgment. This current verse highlights David's changed heart and profound understanding of God's covenant promises, ensuring his administration honored divine principle over human counting, particularly regarding the young generation destined to fulfill God's boundless promise.

1 Chronicles 27 23 Word analysis

• But David: The immediate qualification signifies a deliberate exception by the king. It shows David’s improved spiritual state, demonstrating a king who has learned from his previous failures concerning the census.
• did not take a census (ספר, saphar): This act of non-census-taking for a specific group contrasts sharply with the earlier, ill-fated census. "Saphar" implies numbering or counting for administrative or military purposes. David's choice indicates wisdom gained through repentance, acknowledging that certain matters are best left to divine design, not human enumeration or control.
• of those twenty years old and under: The common age for military enrollment and census for a "militia" in Israel was twenty years and above (Num 1:3). By excluding those below this age, David signals that this group represents the future, which God alone is responsible for multiplying. This avoids the perception of taking pride in the potential future military strength, placing reliance on God.
• because the Lord had promised (אמר, 'amar): This phrase provides the divine motivation for David's action. David's obedience stems from remembering and believing God’s solemn, declared word. His decision is not mere administrative policy but a profound act of faith in divine revelation.
• to multiply (רבה, rabah) Israel: The verb rabah denotes vast increase and becoming numerous. This directly references the foundational promise given to the patriarchs concerning the growth of the nation. David’s action recognizes God's unfettered ability to expand Israel without human limitations or manipulation.
• like the stars of the heaven (כוכב השמים, kokhav ha-shamayim): This vivid, hyperbolic metaphor emphasizes innumerable, incalculable quantity. It harks back directly to Abrahamic covenant passages (Gen 15:5, 22:17). This imagery conveys the promise that God's people would become too vast to count, placing the nation's true strength not in its visible numbers but in God’s transcendent power.

1 Chronicles 27 23 Bonus section

The positioning of this verse, following detailed lists of David’s administrative organization, is crucial. It acts as a theological caveat, preventing any misinterpretation that David's detailed record-keeping implied human self-sufficiency. It subtly but powerfully reminds the reader, especially the post-exilic audience of Chronicles, that God remains sovereign over all human organization and provides a foundation of trust that transcends visible resources. This act of omission becomes more significant than any act of inclusion, highlighting that what is left uncounted for God's purposes holds greater value than what is systematically recorded by human hands.

1 Chronicles 27 23 Commentary

1 Chronicles 27:23 offers a concise yet profound insight into David's matured faith and administrative wisdom. Having experienced divine judgment for his earlier sinful census, which reflected pride and a trust in human strength, David now demonstrates a transformed perspective. By consciously refraining from counting those below the military age, he acknowledges that the nation's future, its true numerical strength and prosperity, is solely in God's hands. This is an act of humble submission and faith, allowing God's boundless promise of multiplication, given to Abraham "like the stars of the heaven," to remain unmeasured by human hands. It underscores that spiritual increase and true security do not come from human efforts to quantify or control but from a complete reliance on the Almighty. It serves as a testament to the power of repentance leading to actions of faithful obedience, trusting in God's super-abundant provision beyond all human limits.