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Answer
Second Samuel 24:1 states, “Again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, ‘Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.’” However, the parallel account of the incident surrounding the census reveals that it was Satan who incited David to take the census: “Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel” «And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. », (1 Chronicles 21:1). This difference is often explained by the understanding that, in order to achieve His purposes, sometimes God sovereignly permits Satan to act. God can use Satan in various ways, resulting in the refining, disciplining, and purification of disobedient believers (Luke 22:31-32;1 Corinthians 5:1-5;2 Corinthians 12:7-10). This may have been the case with David. God allowed Satan to tempt him, and David sinned, revealing his pride, and God then dealt with David accordingly.
There are other considerations regarding the passages concerning David’s sinful census. Here is 2 Samuel 24:1 in four translations:
“Again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he incited David against them . . .” (NIV).
“Again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them . . .” (ESV).
“And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them . . .” (KJV).
“Now again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and it incited David against them.
…” (NASB).
Note that the New American Standard Bible states that “it” (the anger of the Lord) is what caused David to take the census. Other translations indicate that “he” (the Lord) did the inciting. The reason for the variance in translation is due to the absence of a subject for the verb incited in the original language. The reality is that we are not informed about who exactly prompted David to take the census. To translate the verse literally, one would say, “There was who moved David against them” or “For one moved David against them.” The translations mentioned have interpreted this to imply that it was either God or His anger that led David to take the census. However, there are alternative possibilities:
– The undisclosed factor that influenced David to conduct the census might have been his own evil thoughts.
– The “one” who influenced David could potentially be Satan, as indicated in 1 Chronicles 21:1.
– The “adversary” (the definition of the term Satan) referenced in 1 Chronicles could be someone other than the devil; it could have been an unnamed advisor to David who instigated him to take a foolish (or sinful) action.
Regarding why God was displeased with David, during that era, a man only had the authority to count or enumerate what was his. Israel did not belong to David; Israel belonged to God. In Exodus 30:12, God instructed Moses, “When you take a census of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the LORD a ransom for his life at the time he is counted. Then no plague will come on them when you number them.” It was within God’s jurisdiction to order a census, and if David conducted one, it should have been solely at God’s directive, with a ransom received to “atone” for the counting. This is why God was once again displeased with Israel and why David was “conscience-stricken” after counting Israel. David recognized it was inappropriate and implored God to absolve him of the guilt of his sin «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 his sin.My servant; for I have done very foolishly.” , (2 Samuel 24:10).
God gave David a choice of three punishments for his sin—three years of famine, three months of fleeing before his enemies, or three days of plague. David chose the third, and the Lord then punished Israel with a plague that killed 70,000 men from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south. As for why God punished the whole nation for the sin of the king, that is exactly the question David asks in 2 Samuel 24:17. Why, when he was the one who had sinned, did the people have to suffer? He even requested that God’s hand be against him and his family only, and that God would spare the people. But, as with the account of Job, God chose not to give a reason for His actions. Perhaps it was because of Israel’s multiplied sins and rebellion against God throughout the centuries. Perhaps it was a lesson to the people (and to us as well) that the people suffer when their leaders go astray. The reality is that God didn’t justify His actions with a reason, nor does He have to.
Of the three choices presented to David, the first two would have involved some level of dependency upon the mercy of man: the warfare, of course, would be as severe as the enemy wanted it to be; the famine would require Israel to seek food from other nations, relying on the pity of their neighbors. Instead of relying on the mercy of any human, David chose to rely on the mercy of God—the pestilence was, after all, the most direct form of punishment from God, and in the plague they could only look to God for relief.
The psalmist tells us, “As for God, His way is perfect” « As for God, his way is perfect: The word of the LORD is tried: He is a buckler to all those that trust in him. », (Psalm 18:30). If God’s ways are “perfect,” then we can trust that whatever He does—and whatever
He allows—which is also flawless. Our duty to God is to obey Him, to have faith in Him, and to surrender to His will, whether we comprehend it or not.
As we observe in 2 Samuel 24:16, God was saddened by the events unfolding among His people, and He canceled the punishment. Even in His reprimand, God still demonstrates His love and mercy.
