2 Samuel 24:8-10
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
8 Thus they toured the whole land, reaching Jerusalem again after nine months and twenty days. 9 Joab then reported the census figures to the king: of men capable of wielding a sword, there were in Israel eight hundred thousand, and in Judah five hundred thousand.
10 Afterward, however, David regretted having numbered the people. David said to the Lord: “I have sinned grievously in what I have done.(A) Take away, Lord, your servant’s guilt, for I have acted very foolishly.”[a]
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- 24:10 The narrative supposes that since the people belonged to the Lord rather than to the king, only the Lord should know their exact number. Further, since such an exact numbering of the people would make it possible for the king to exercise centralized power, imposing taxation, conscription, and expropriation upon Israel, the story shares the view of monarchy found in 1 Sm 8:4–18. See also Nm 3:44–51, where census taking requires an apotropaic offering.
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