2 Chronicles 21:1–22:1 (NIV)✞: David Counts the Fighting Men, David Builds an Altar
As is usually the case, we have a passage here that mirrors a passage from earlier books; in this case, 2 Samuel 24✞. First, in verses 1–17✞, David takes a census of the people of Israel—something he wasn’t supposed to do—and then, in verses 18–30✞, he builds an altar to the LORD.
There are a couple of differences in the Chronicles version of events than in the Samuel version; for example, in verse 6✞ we’re told that Joab leaves out some of the men from his count, because David’s command was “repulsive” to him.
More importantly, we have an “inconsistency” in verse 1, when we compare it to the story in 2 Samuel:
Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.
1 Chronicles 22:1 (NIV)✞, emphasis added
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.”
2 Samuel 24:1 (NIV)✞, emphasis added
So who “caused” David to take the census? Satan, or God? Or is he responsible for his own actions? I already thought this through in the 2 Samuel 24:1–17 passage, so I won’t rehash it here.
And then, in verses 21:18–22:1✞, David creates an altar. Importantly, the spot where he builds that altar is where the Temple will later be built. I wonder if the author(s) of Chronicles are emphasising the fact that the spot where the Temple is being built is a spot where David built an altar in order to stop a plague the LORD had sent to punish His people…
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