2 Samuel 24 8

2 Samuel 24:8 kjv

So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

2 Samuel 24:8 nkjv

So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

2 Samuel 24:8 niv

After they had gone through the entire land, they came back to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

2 Samuel 24:8 esv

So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

2 Samuel 24:8 nlt

Having gone through the entire land for nine months and twenty days, they returned to Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 24 verses

2 Samuel 24 8 Meaning

2 Samuel 24:8 describes the successful completion of the nationwide census commissioned by King David. It states that Joab and his officers meticulously surveyed "all the land" of Israel, implying a comprehensive effort, and then returned to Jerusalem. The verse specifies the precise duration of this arduous task, nine months and twenty days, underscoring the vastness of the territory and the extensive labor involved. This verse serves as a critical point in the narrative, marking the end of the survey and immediately preceding the consequences of David's census.

2 Samuel 24 8 Context

The events of 2 Samuel 24 unfold during King David's reign, towards its latter period. The chapter immediately preceding this verse (2 Sam 24:1-7) describes the instigation and execution of David's census. David, for reasons not fully explained but implying either pride, reliance on human strength, or a desire for military assessment (which displeased the LORD), ordered Joab to count the fighting men of Israel. Joab himself, initially resisted the command, understanding its potential wrongness. Despite Joab's objections, David persisted. Verses 4-7 detail the route Joab and his men took, starting from beyond the Jordan, going through Gilead, Dan-jaan, Sidon, Tyre, and various parts of Canaan, finally arriving in Beer-sheba, indicating an extensive and arduous undertaking across the length and breadth of Israelite territory. Verse 8 marks the conclusion of this lengthy operation, as Joab returns to the central seat of power in Jerusalem with the census data. The immediate consequence of this census, the divine judgment, and David's repentance, follow in the subsequent verses. This specific verse, 2 Sam 24:8, thus functions as a transitional point, highlighting the scale and completion of the forbidden act just before the Lord's response.

2 Samuel 24 8 Word analysis

• So when they had gone through: (Hebrew: וַיַּעֲבְרוּ, wa-ya'avərū - and they passed through/crossed over/traversed).

  • וַיַּעֲבְרוּ (wa-ya'avərū): The וַ (wa-) prefix denotes "and" or "so", linking it to the previous actions. The verb עָבַר (avar) signifies movement through or over, indicating thorough penetration and covering of the territory.
  • Significance: Implies a diligent, exhaustive effort to cover the entire land as commanded by David. Not a quick count, but a comprehensive survey.

• all the land: (Hebrew: בְּכָל-הָאָרֶץ, bə-ḵāl-hā-'āreṣ - in all the land/earth).

  • כָּל (kol): "All", "every", signifying totality or entirety.
  • הָאָרֶץ (hā-'āreṣ): "The land", specifically referring to the land of Israel inhabited by the twelve tribes.
  • Significance: Reinforces the comprehensive nature of the census. It covered every tribal territory, demonstrating David's dominion and the vastness of the population under his rule, potentially fostering pride in human strength.

• they came to Jerusalem: (Hebrew: וַיָּבֹאוּ יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם, wa-yāḇō'ū yərūšālāim - and they came Jerusalem).

  • וַיָּבֹאוּ (wa-yāḇō'ū): "And they came," signaling the completion of their journey and their return to the central authority.
  • יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם (yərūšālāim): Jerusalem, the capital city, King David's residence, and the administrative center of the kingdom.
  • Significance: This was the designated destination for reporting the results. Jerusalem serves as the administrative and spiritual heart of the nation under David, symbolizing the point of culmination and accountability for their undertaking.

• at the end of nine months and twenty days: (Hebrew: מִקְּצֵה תִּשְׁעָה חֳדָשִׁים וְעֶשְׂרִים יוֹם, miqəṣṣêh tiš‘â ḥōḏāšîm wə-‘eśrîm yōm - from the end of nine months and twenty days).

  • מִקְּצֵה (miqəṣṣêh): "From the end of", "at the completion of". Marks a precise temporal boundary.
  • תִּשְׁעָה (tiš‘â): "Nine".
  • חֳדָשִׁים (ḥōḏāšîm): "Months".
  • וְעֶשְׂרִים (wə-‘eśrîm): "And twenty".
  • יוֹם (yōm): "Day".
  • Significance: This specific timeframe (290 days approximately) underscores the magnitude of the census operation. It shows the diligence of Joab's men, the challenges of traversing the diverse terrain, and the sheer number of people to count. The detail provided for the time suggests it was a very difficult and extensive work. It also serves as a reminder of the "cost" in terms of time and effort for this divinely disapproved act.

• Group analysis: "gone through all the land"

  • This phrase emphasizes the extensive scope and exhaustive nature of the census. It paints a picture of men diligently crisscrossing the entire land, ensuring no region was missed. This detail underscores the comprehensive data that David would receive, potentially fueling the very pride that the census provoked in God. It highlights human meticulousness directed towards an act that would ultimately bring divine judgment.

• Group analysis: "at the end of nine months and twenty days"

  • This precise temporal indicator conveys the sheer scale and difficulty of the task. A period of over nine months indicates that this was not a perfunctory count but a systematic and arduous process. It implies dedication from Joab's team in executing the king's command, despite Joab's initial reservations. This prolonged effort underlines the significance and thoroughness of the very action that was an offense to the Lord.

2 Samuel 24 8 Bonus section

The specific duration of the census (9 months and 20 days) suggests not only the geographical scale but potentially the human organizational challenges involved. Joab's journey covered territories that today comprise parts of modern Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon, reflecting the extended borders of David's kingdom. While the narrative provides no direct polemic in this specific verse, the overall census account stands as a powerful counter-narrative to human self-reliance. It argues implicitly that God alone is Israel's true strength, and numbers are irrelevant to Him (Ps 33:16-17). This census contrasts sharply with earlier divinely commanded censuses in the Pentateuch (Numbers 1, 26), where the explicit divine command and purpose (organizing the wilderness camp, allocating land, identifying the Levites) ensured divine favor, whereas David's census lacked such a mandate and likely stemmed from improper motives. The time taken suggests a painstaking administrative effort which, despite its meticulousness, brought the king to the brink of disaster because its foundation was faulty.

2 Samuel 24 8 Commentary

2 Samuel 24:8 marks a pivotal point in the narrative of David's census. It details the completion of a colossal task: the systematic survey of all male inhabitants in Israel, indicating their numbers for military strength or national pride. The timeframe of "nine months and twenty days" vividly portrays the immensity of the undertaking, showcasing the dedication of Joab's men in traversing the extensive terrain of the land. Their return to Jerusalem signifies the culmination of this immense effort, bringing the census data directly to the capital and to King David, who had instigated it. This seemingly mundane logistical report in fact sets the stage for the swift and severe divine judgment that follows, as the complete data, representing David's reliance on human might rather than God, is now compiled. The verse implicitly underscores the exhaustive human effort that can be expended on pursuits that displease God, ultimately leading to undesirable outcomes rather than blessing. It is a factual statement preparing for profound spiritual consequences.