This remarkable sentence takes the place of the statements in the parallel, "And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah." Our own passage seems to confine the temptation and sin to David. Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. Yet the expression "Jehovah provoked or incited against. Romans 1:18 Romans 1:24 Romans 1:26 Romans 1:28.) The true reading in Samuel may well be, "And an adversary incited David," &c., the word Satan having fallen out of the text. God did not interpose, but allowed David's corrupt motive to work out its own penal results. One evil thought led to another, quite naturally i.e., by the laws which God has imposed upon human nature. If Divine wrath urged David to number Israel, it can only have been in consequence of evil thoughts of pride and self-sufficiency, which had intruded into a heart hitherto humbly reliant upon its Maker. The wrath of God is the Scriptural name for that aspect of the Divine nature under which it pursues to destruction whatever is really opposed to its own perfection (Delitzsch) and it is only sin, i.e., breach of the Divine law, which can necessarily direct that aspect towards man. 2 Samuel 24 begins: "And again the anger of Jehovah burned against Israel, and He (or it) incited David against them, saying, Go, number Israel and Judah." It thus appears that the adversary of our text, the influence hostile to Israel, was the wrath of God. Job 1, 2 and Zechariah 3:1-2.)Īnd provoked David.- Pricked him on, incited him. 1Kings 11:14 1Kings 11:25.) When the adversary, the enemy of mankind, is meant, the word takes the article, which it has not here. So in 2Samuel 19:23 the sons of Zeruiah are called "adversaries" (Heb., a Satan) to David. (1) And Satan stood up against Israel.-Perhaps, And an adversary (hostile influence) arose against Israel.
Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel.Īnd there standeth up an adversary against Israel, and persuadeth David to number Israel,Įllicott's Commentary for English Readers(1-6) The Census. Then Satan stands up against Israel, and persuades David to number Israel,Īn adversary opposed Israel, inciting David to count how many warriors Israel had.Īnd an adversary stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel. Then Satan attacked Israel by inciting David to enumerate a census of Israel. Satan attempted to attack Israel by provoking David to count the Israelites. Satan wanted to bring trouble on the people of Israel, so he made David decide to take a census. Satan decided to cause trouble for Israel by making David think it was a good idea to find out how many people there were in Israel and Judah.Īnd Satan rose up against Israel: and moved David to number Israel. Satan stood up against Israel and incited David to count the people of Israel.Īnd Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel.Īnd Satan stood up against Israel and he urged David to number Israel.Īnd the devil stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel. Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to count the people of Israel. Satan stood up against Israel and incited David to count Israel. Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel. Then Satan stood up against Israel and incited David to count Israel. Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel.
Then Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.Īnd Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel. Satan rose up against Israel and caused David to take a census of the people of Israel. Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.