2 Samuel 24 9

2 Samuel 24:9 kjv

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.

2 Samuel 24:9 nkjv

Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to the king. And there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

2 Samuel 24:9 niv

Joab reported the number of the fighting men to the king: In Israel there were eight hundred thousand able-bodied men who could handle a sword, and in Judah five hundred thousand.

2 Samuel 24:9 esv

And Joab gave the sum of the numbering of the people to the king: in Israel there were 800,000 valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were 500,000.

2 Samuel 24:9 nlt

Joab reported the number of people to the king. There were 800,000 capable warriors in Israel who could handle a sword, and 500,000 in Judah.

2 Samuel 24 verses

2 Samuel 24 9 Meaning

2 Samuel 24:9 reports the completion and findings of the illicit census commanded by King David, indicating the sheer size of Israel's military might. Joab presented the king with a count of 800,000 valiant men who could draw a sword from Israel (referring to the northern tribes) and 500,000 such men from Judah, totaling an impressive 1,300,000 fighting men. This enumeration of military strength, however, stands as a numerical testament to David's act of pride and a misguided reliance on human resources over divine provision and protection.

2 Samuel 24 9 Context

2 Samuel chapter 24 details the culmination of King David's reign, focusing on a pivotal act of sin—his decision to conduct a military census of Israel and Judah. This particular verse, 2 Samuel 24:9, stands as the report of Joab, David's military commander, summarizing the results of that census. It is a direct response to David's controversial command found earlier in the chapter (v. 2), which Joab and his captains initially opposed (v. 3). The context reveals that while God is depicted as incitement in verse 1 (possibly for purposes of judgment on Israel), David's compliance stemmed from pride or a desire to rely on tangible human strength rather than divine power, setting the stage for divine retribution. This census, unlike those divinely commanded (e.g., in the book of Numbers), was undertaken without God's explicit instruction and was perceived as an act of defiance, indicating David's trust had momentarily shifted from the Almighty to the magnitude of his fighting force. The subsequent events in the chapter — David's realization of his sin (v. 10), the prophet Gad's warning of three choices for punishment (v. 11-13), David's choosing of pestilence (v. 14), the ensuing plague and the death of 70,000 men (v. 15), and finally David's atonement at the threshing floor of Araunah (v. 16-25) — all flow from this pivotal census report.

2 Samuel 24 9 Word analysis

• So Joab (יוֹאָב, Yo'av): Joab was David's seasoned commander-in-chief, known for his military prowess, shrewdness, and often ruthless execution of David's commands. His delivering the sum signifies the completion of his task, however reluctant he was (see v. 3).
• gave the sum (וַיִּתֵּן אֶת־מִסְפַּר, vayitten et-mispar): Literally "and he gave the number." This refers to the quantitative result of the enumeration. The verb "gave" indicates the presentation of a formal report to the king.
• of the registration (הַמִּפְקָד, hammiſqad): Refers to "the numbered ones" or "the enrolled." This specific term often relates to an official count or census, particularly for military purposes. It underscores the precise and systematic nature of the numbering.
• of the people (הָעָם, ha'am): Refers to the collective body of Israelites. In this context, specifically the eligible male population capable of military service.
• to the king (אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ, el-hammelekh): David, who ordered the census, received the outcome directly. This highlights David's ultimate responsibility and direct involvement.
• In Israel (וַתְּהִי יִשְׂרָאֵל, vattehi Yisra'el): Refers to the northern tribes, distinct from Judah. Even within David's unified kingdom, the tribal distinction persisted and was recognized in administrative counts.
• there were 800,000 (שְׁמֹנֶה מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף, shemoneh me'ot eleph): A round, substantial number indicating the vastness of the military potential in the northern tribes.
• valiant men (אִישׁ חַיִל, ish chayil): Literally "men of strength/valor" or "men of capacity." This describes individuals fit for battle, possessing physical might and readiness for combat. It indicates military capability.
• who drew the sword (שֹׁלֵף חֶרֶב, sholeph cherev): A common military idiom indicating men armed and ready for warfare. It denotes soldiers, not merely males of fighting age but those equipped and trained for battle.
• and the men of Judah (וְאִישׁ יְהוּדָה, ve'ish Yehudah): Refers to the southern kingdom or tribe of Judah, David's own tribe, explicitly counted separately.
• were 500,000 (חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף, ḥamesh me'ot eleph): Another large, round number indicating the military strength from Judah.

• "sum of the registration of the people": This phrase emphasizes the precise and official nature of the census report Joab delivered to David. It underlines that this was a deliberate count, not a casual estimate.
• "valiant men who drew the sword": This full descriptive phrase highlights the military aspect of the census. David was not merely counting heads but assessing his active, deployable fighting force. It speaks to a reliance on observable human might.
• "In Israel there were 800,000... and the men of Judah were 500,000": The distinct reporting of numbers for Israel and Judah reflects the prevailing tribal divisions and perhaps also David's internal political focus, even while leading a unified kingdom. The massive scale of these numbers points to David's immense power, yet simultaneously becomes the measure of his transgression against relying on God's strength.

2 Samuel 24 9 Bonus section

A notable aspect of 2 Samuel 24:9 is its numerical discrepancy when compared to its parallel account in 1 Chronicles 21:5.

• 2 Samuel 24:9 reports 800,000 men in Israel and 500,000 in Judah, totaling 1,300,000.
• 1 Chronicles 21:5 reports 1,100,000 men in Israel and 470,000 in Judah, totaling 1,570,000.

Biblical scholarship offers several insights into these differences, underscoring that ancient reporting of numbers often involved different accounting methodologies, rounding, or scribal variations rather than strict modern exactitude:

• Different Inclusion Criteria: The numbers might reflect different populations being counted. For example, one account might include men ready for immediate active duty, while the other might encompass a broader levy that includes reserves or men available for general service. It's suggested that 2 Samuel counted the core, active fighting force, whereas 1 Chronicles might have included other trained men not in the standing army or chiefs of families.
• Exclusion of Specific Groups: 1 Chronicles 21:6 mentions that Joab "did not count Levi and Benjamin among them, for the king's command was abhorrent to Joab." This specific omission could account for some variations in the total "Israel" number, particularly if 2 Samuel implies a slightly broader (or narrower) count by tribe without specifying these exceptions.
• Scribal Transmission: It's well-accepted that numerical figures were susceptible to changes during ancient manuscript transmission, either accidentally or by intentional modification to standardize or summarize.
• Literary Purpose: Both accounts, despite their numerical differences, strongly agree on the essential theological message: David’s census was a sin, stemming from pride or a lack of trust in God, and it led to severe divine judgment. The specific numbers, while differing, serve the same literary purpose—to emphasize the considerable military might that David had come to trust in, diverting his focus from the Lord.

Thus, while the exact numbers vary, the theological truth and historical sequence of David's sin, the census's role, and God's judgment remain consistent and clear across both inspired accounts.

2 Samuel 24 9 Commentary

2 Samuel 24:9 reports the quantitative outcome of King David's ill-fated census, specifying 800,000 valiant men from Israel and 500,000 from Judah, a grand total of 1.3 million fighting men. This verse, presented as a stark numerical fact, serves as a significant literary moment, marking the concrete realization of David's sin of pride. The emphasis on "valiant men who drew the sword" underscores that David's count was military in nature, designed to assess his kingdom's human combat capacity. In doing so, he subtly, perhaps unknowingly, placed his trust in the vastness of his human army rather than solely in the omnipotence of the God who had previously delivered victory with far fewer numbers. This enumeration of a human resource was not merely a logistic exercise; it was a visible manifestation of a spiritual misstep, triggering immediate divine displeasure and consequent judgment. The precise numbers are recorded not for their military value, but as an indictment, illustrating the scale of human confidence that supplanted trust in the Divine. It's a reminder that God’s true strength is not found in armies or human might.