I CHRONICLES 21:1 (II SAMUEL 24:1)

Q: I have two questions about these parallel stories. Who convinced David to number the people: Satan or God? And why was God upset about taking a census of the people?

On the surface, the contradiction between these two accounts couldn't be greater. Here are some of the approaches people have used to try to resolve the difficulty:

1. These were two unrelated episodes in David's life. However, the immediate context shows that these are reports of the same events.

2. I Chronicles was written later and relied on an earlier version of Samuel. The Dead Sea scrolls show this to be the possible case for other passages.

3. The II Samuel version was based on an error in textual transmission. But no such textual evidence exists.

4. This could be example of a spiritual euphemism. For example, in other passages “bless God” is obviously substituted in place of the intended meaning “curse God.”

5. “Satan” is not THE Satan but instead has the generic meaning of “an adversary.” And that adversary in this case was God.

6. Lastly, there is my personal choice: This situation was exactly parallel to that in Job 1-2 where God's permissive will allowed it to happen, but Satan was the actual instrument.

The second difficulty with this passage is why God was so angry about David conducting a census.

            1. The purpose of a census was to assess the country's growing population and especially its military might, a matter of pride for David who had just finished conquering a difficult enemy in the previous Samuel passage rather than him relying on God's power. His pride opened him up to Satan's influence. Alternatively, or at the same time, God indicates that He let David's inward thoughts go to their obvious conclusion so that they would become visible to all (like the hardening of Pharaoh's heart and the Romans 1 teaching on God letting sinful people have their way and suffer the natural consequence.)

2. A census was usually carried out as a prelude to increased taxation of the people or forced labor, as happened under Solomon. Both were against God's will for Israel and its king.