Bible Strands
2 Samuel 24:1
Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He stirred up David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Yahweh’s anger burns against Israel, prompting Him to stir up David to order a census of the people and Judah. This occurs at the narrative opening before David directs Joab to conduct the actual registration across the tribes.
The words — The Hebrew verb יֹּסֶף (yo.sef) literally means “he added” or “he repeated,” signaling an intensification of the divine anger. The parallel verb יָסֶת (ya.set) translates as “he incited” or “he stirred up,” describing the action directed against David.
The thread — This account runs parallel to 1 Chronicles 21:1, which identifies Satan as the agent of incitation, and precedes 1 Chronicles 27:23, which records David’s earlier refusal to count men under twenty because Yahweh promised to multiply Israel. The tension with James 1:13, which explicitly states God does not tempt anyone, frames the passage’s theological boundary.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to acknowledge that Yahweh’s sovereign judgment operates through David’s historical initiative without collapsing divine agency into human blame. It demands the reader accept that God’s purposes are executed through secondary agents while maintaining the clear biblical limit that God never tempts to evil.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.
Cross-references
- 1 Chronicles 21:1 Then Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.
- 1 Chronicles 27:23 David did not count the men aged twenty or under, because the LORD had said that He would make Israel as numerous as the stars of the sky.
- James 1:13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone.
- Genesis 50:20 As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people.
- 1 Kings 22:20 And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one suggested this, and another that.
- Genesis 45:5 And now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves that you sold me into this place, because it was to save lives that God sent me before you.
- Exodus 7:3 But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I will multiply My signs and wonders in the land of Egypt,
- 1 Samuel 26:19 Now please, may my lord the king hear the words of his servant: If the LORD has stirred you up against me, then may He accept an offering. But if men have done it, may they be cursed in the presence of the LORD! For today they have driven me away from sharing in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’
- 2 Samuel 12:11 This is what the LORD says: ‘I will raise up adversity against you from your own house. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to another, and he will lie with them in broad daylight.
- 2 Samuel 16:10 But the king replied, “What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? If he curses me because the LORD told him, ‘Curse David,’ who can ask, ‘Why did you do this?’”