Poole on 2 Samuel 24:9: The Number of the People

Verse 9:[1]  And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king:  (see 1 Chron. 21:5) and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

[Joab gave the number of the record of the people, ‎אֶת־מִסְפַּ֥ר מִפְקַד־הָעָ֖ם]  The number of the census (or of the numbering [Pagnine], of the computation [Vatablus], of the inspection [Septuagint]) of the people (Montanus, Junius and Tremellius), that is, the sum of the people numbered (Vatablus).  The number and the sum (Hebrew:  number number [Mariana]) of the people (Syriac, Munster, Tigurinus, Mariana); the number and the census, etc. (Arabic); the computation of the number of the people (Jonathan).

[Eight hundred thousand, etc.]  But in 1 Chronicles 21:5 they are eleven hundred thousand.  How do they harmonize?  Responses:  1.  Both are true.  What the one passes over in silence, the other supplies; and the one that posits a great number include the lesser:  and the one that writes the lesser does not deny the greater.  But the diverse narration of number arose from this, that perhaps a twofold relation of number was made, and by different scribes (Cajetan in Sanchez).  2.  What a great many think is not displeasing, that one numbered was gathered from all Israel, the other (and that the lesser) was shown by Joab to the King (Sanchez):  whether because he did not want to enlarge the matter of boasting (Martyr); or, which I prefer, so that he might restore and confirm the fearful heart of the King, as if the census were only begun, not completed:  For the heart of David had smitten (thus I translate the verb in verse 10 by the Pluperfect), when he had heard in the census certain (perhaps who were unwilling to pay the half shekel) either removed by death, or disgracefully smitten.  And perhaps this was what deterred Joab from numbering.  See 1 Chronicles 27:24; 21:7, where before that awful plague Israel is said to have been smitten (Sanchez).  3.  The tribes of Levi and Benjamin are not numbered here, which are counted in Chronicles (certain interpreters in Lapide, Abarbanel in Buxtforf).  But in Chronicles it is supplied that Levi and Benjamin were not numbered[2] (Lapide).  4.  The greater number in Chronicles is of those that were numbered; the lesser number in Samuel is of those that were entered into the royal lists.  See 1 Chronicles 27:24 (Menochius).  5.  This task of numbering was given both to Joab and to other captains, verse 4.  Over all these was set Joab, who nevertheless committed to the others the description of diverse provinces of the people, in such a way that he wanted certain tribes to be common with others; that is, the tribe of Judah and the neighboring tribes of Benjamin, Ephraim, and Simeon; which Joab passed through in such a way that others assumed the same care, which therefore they did, because they saw that Joab was reluctant to approach, and that the matter was handled with an unmotivated heart and a weak hand.  Since then they were doing it more diligently and accurately, they found a much greater number (than Joab) (Sanchez).  6.  With many, as mentioned, suddenly stricken down, terrified Joab made an excursion to the King, and conveyed the number of the persons taken at that time.  Then David, smitten in heart, commanded to desist, and prohibited the number from being set down in the records.  But in the meantime the other captains proceeded, who were in charge of the census in the more remote tribes; and before the prohibition of the King became known to them, they had collected three hundred thousand others (Tirinus).  7.  In Chronicles were numbered all that were above twenty years of age, and there were eleven hundred thousand.  But in this age group there are many weak and listless:  Therefore, of this number there were eight hundred thousand strong and vigorous, as is found here (Sanchez).  8.  The description was twofold, 1.  of the captains through the individual towns, etc., in private books, and thus they were eleven hundred; 2.  whence from these private books were transcribed names into a greater book, which Joab had, so that he might deliver it to the King, and thus they might be recorded in the rolls; and these were only eight hundred thousand.  The reason was, partly that Joab was unwillingly numbering, and so was contriving obstacles; partly that the transcription was inhibited by plague; whence three hundred thousand were omitted, as it is evident from 1 Chronicles 27:24, which the writer of Chronicles supplied from private lists (Sanchez).  9.  Two lists of the ten tribes were written by Joab:  the former was having the legitimate census, namely, of vigorous men, and who were twenty years old and above; and they were eight hundred thousand:  the latter was illegitimate, namely, of those that, above and below twenty years of age, were apt for war; of which sort were eleven hundred thousand:  as if Joab had first given to God His honor, and then dared not to detract from David his empire.  A similar thing is to be said of the tribe of Judah, that two lists were made, etc. (Bertram’s Lucubrations in Frankenthal 2).  10.  David was accustomed each month to have twenty-four thousand prepared for rapid deployment; and, so that others might not be burdened, others were standing the next month:  those had already been conscripted, and so it was not to take a new census concerning those (Hebrews in Martyr).  But concerning this nothing is found in the sacred books.  The eight hundred thousand were beyond the ordinary legions, which were under twelve captains, as you may gather out of 1 Chronicles 27:1 (Grotius out of Junius).  For the twelve distributions were kept always ready, one for each tribe having twenty-four thousand drawing the sword; which number makes a sum of two hundred and eighty-eight thousand:  now, over these were placed their own captains, each with his own chiliad and chiliarchs (Junius).  Acutely and subtly devised (Malvenda).  11.  Perhaps, besides Levi and Benjamin, he had not yet numbered the city of Jerusalem, then the royal cohorts.  This opinion I myself more approve.  12.  Some suspect an error in the number:  but I do not willingly descend to this sort of solution:  the authority of the sacred books is to be retained (Martyr).

Eight hundred thousand.  Objection:  In 1 Chronicles 21:5, they are numbered one million and one hundred thousand.  Answer:  The sum here expressed is only of such as were not in the ordinary and settled militia waiting upon the king, which being twenty-four thousand for every month, as is largely related, 1 Chronicles 27, amounts to two hundred and eighty-eight thousand, which either with their several commanders, or with the soldiers, placed in several garrisons, might very well make up three hundred thousand.  Or two hundred and eighty-eight thousand may pass in such accounts for three hundred thousand; it being frequent in such great sums to neglect a smaller number.  But in the Book of the Chronicles, which was to gather up the fragments omitted in the former books, both sorts are put together, and so they amount to one million and one hundred thousand.

[And of Judah five hundred thousand]  But in 1 Chronicles 21:5, there are only four hundred and seventy thousand.  But this is not so great a difficulty (Martyr).  Responses:  1.  Five hundred thousand were numbered in all; four hundred and seventy thousand were more excellent (Lapide of Serarius).  2.  In the greater number perhaps proselytes are included (Menochius, Lapide).  3.  Or the tribe of Judah is reckoned according to its ancient borders, within which parts of the tribes of Simeon and Dan were taken in, Joshua 19 (Menochius and Lapide out of Salian).  It is confirmed from this, that Joab is said to have come to the south of Judah, even to Beer-sheba, verse 7, while that town was nevertheless in the tribe of Simeon (Lapide).  4.  In this place are numbered the thirty thousand, of which a thousand apiece were subject to individual chiliarchs, concerning which above in 2 Samuel 23:8, which are omitted in Chronicles (Junius).  But let them prove that those thirty thousand from 2 Samuel 23 were of the tribe of Judah, of which not all the chiliarch had been (Malvenda).  5.  Either Joab augmented the number of his own tribe; or the other captains detracted something from the census of Judah, so that they might honor their own tribes (Sanchez).  6.  There are thirty thousand wanting in Chronicles, but it is customary in the Scriptures, that centenary or millenary number, although not fully perfect, is reckoned as perfect.  Thus a part of a year is reckoned as a year.  But it is remarkable how the tribe of Judah had so many thousands.  They respond, 1.  That both the natives and those attached, or the warriors from foreign nations, were numbered.  2.  It was adorned with (singular) fertility.  God was not slack in His promises (Martyr).

Five hundred thousand:   In 1 Chronicles 21:5, but four hundred and seventy thousand.  Answer:  Either, 1.  They were exactly no more, but are called five hundred thousand in a round sum, as is usual in Scripture and other authors.  Or, 2.  The garrison soldiers, and such as were employed in other services about the king, are here included, which are there excluded.  Or, 3.  They were five hundred thousand when Joab gave up the number to the king, though presently after that they were but four hundred and seventy thousand; thirty thousand being slain by the plague in the tribe of Judah; which being David’s own tribe, it was but just and fit it should suffer more than the rest for this sin.  And though it be true that Joab gave up the sum before the plague begun, yet the sacred penman of the Book of Chronicles thought fit to make a defalcation of them who had been swept away by the plague, that the judgment of God therein might be observed.  Or, 4.  There are included here the thirty thousand which belonged to the thirty colonels mentioned 2 Samuel 23, who are excluded 1 Chronicles 21, although it be questionable whether those were all of the tribe of Judah.

[1] Hebrew: ‎וַיִּתֵּ֥ן יוֹאָ֛ב אֶת־מִסְפַּ֥ר מִפְקַד־הָעָ֖ם אֶל־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַתְּהִ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֡ל שְׁמֹנֶה֩ מֵא֙וֹת אֶ֤לֶף אִֽישׁ־חַ֙יִל֙ שֹׁ֣לֵֽף חֶ֔רֶב וְאִ֣ישׁ יְהוּדָ֔ה חֲמֵשׁ־מֵא֥וֹת אֶ֖לֶף אִֽישׁ׃

[2] 1 Chronicles 21:6.