Meditations

Open line radio program on April 1, 2023 hour 2.

Teherra:

We also have a question from Amy, Indiana, who listens through WGNR, in 2 Samuel 24, why was taking a census so wrong?

Dr Michael Rydelnik:

That’s where David takes the census, he counts the people, right? You know, counting in Judaism, because of that, has become sort of disapproved of, counting people. I have been in Israel with ultra orthodox Jewish people taking kids on trips and they have to count the kids to make sure they have all the kids when they are getting back on the bus. Some of the ultra orthodox Jewish people are saying when the kids come back on the bus, “Not one, not two, not three…” ha, ha because they are not suppose to count, but the reason that David actually got into trouble wasn’t just counting but I think it has to do with Deuteronomy 17. In Deuteronomy 17, it says that a king, when Israel finally has a king and there’s a lesson there for him, it says he’s not suppose to acquire wives and he’s not suppose to acquire large amounts of money and also it says he’s not suppose to acquire horses, meaning large army, he must not acquire many horses, verse 16 says, for himself or send people back to Egypt to acquire many horses and the idea is don’t trust and count on a very very large army to defend you, yes it’s ok to have an army and God will use it but some put their trust in horses and others in chariots, psalms 20 says we will trust in the name of the Lord our God. Israel was called upon God, not in their military might and that’s why David get in trouble because he was counting the army to show how mighty he was.

Scriptures

2 Samuel 24

1 Again the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, “Go, ^[a]number Israel and Judah.”

² So the king said to Joab the commander of the army who was with him, “Now go throughout all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and count the people, that I may know the number of the people.”

¹⁰ And David’s heart condemned him after he had numbered the people. So David said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done; but now, I pray, O Lord, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly.” -nkjv

1And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.

² For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people.

¹⁰ And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the Lord, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly. -kjv

1Now the anger of the Lord burned against Israel again, and He incited David against them to say, “Go, count Israel and Judah.”

² So the king said to Joab the commander of the army, who was with him, “Roam about now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and conduct a census of the people, so that I may know the number of the people.”

¹⁰ Now David’s heart ^[b]troubled him after he had counted the people. So David said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, Lord, please ^[c]overlook the guilt of Your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.” -nasb

1Again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.”

² So the king said to Joab and the army commanders^[a] with him, “Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and enroll the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are.”

¹⁰ David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, Lord, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.” -niv

Deuteronomy 17

¹⁶ But he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall not return that way again.’ ¹⁷ Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself. -nkjv

¹⁶ But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the Lord hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.

¹⁷ Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold. -kjv

¹⁶ In any case, he is not to acquire many horses for himself, nor shall he make the people return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall never again return that way.’ ¹⁷ And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, so that his heart does not turn away; nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself. -nasb

¹⁶ The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.” ¹⁷ He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold. -niv

Psalm 20

⁷ Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;
But we will remember the name of the Lord our God. -nkjv

⁷ Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. -kjv

⁷ Some praise their chariots and some their horses,
But we will praise the name of the Lord, our God. -nasb

⁷ Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
    but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. -niv