2 Samuel 24:2

2 Samuel 24:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer–sheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people.
• New International Version (NIV)So the king said to Joab and the army commanders with him, “Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and enroll the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)So the king said to Joab, the commander of the army, who was with him, "Go through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and number the people, that I may know the number of the people."
• New King James Version (NKJV)So the king said to Joab the commander of the army who was with him, “Now go throughout all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and count the people, that I may know the number of the people.”

Context of 2 Samuel 24:2

1The Lord became angry with Israel again, so he provoked David to turn against Israel. He said, “Go, count Israel and Judah.” King David said to Joab, the commander of the army who was with him, “Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and count the people. That way I will know how many there are.” 3Joab responded to the king, “May the Lord your God multiply the people a hundred times over, and may Your Majesty ⌞live⌟ to see it. But why does Your Majesty wish to do this?” 4However, the king overruled Joab and the commanders of the army. So they left the king ⌞in order⌟ to count the people of Israel.

2 Samuel 24:2 word by word

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶל־יוֹאָ֣ב׀ שַׂר־הַחַ֣יִל אֲשֶׁר־אִתּ֗וֹ שֽׁוּט־נָ֞א בְּכָל־שִׁבְטֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מִדָּן֙ וְעַד־בְּאֵ֣ר שֶׁ֔בַע וּפִקְד֖וּ אֶת־הָעָ֑ם וְיָ֣דַעְתִּ֔י אֵ֖ת מִסְפַּ֥ר הָעָֽם׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• For the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
• the captainשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
• of the hostחַ֫יִלchayil · armyH2428
• with him, Go now throughשׁוּטshûţ · to roveH7751
• all the tribesשֵׁ֫בֶטshêbeţ · tribeH7626
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• from Danדָּןdân · DanH1835
• even to Beer–shebaבְּאֵר שֶׁ֫בַעbe'êr sheba‛ · BeershebaH884
• and numberפָּקַדpâqad · to reckon: listH6485
• ye the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• that I may knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• the numberמִסְפָּרmispâr · numberH4557

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 24:2

• 2 Samuel 2:13Zeruiah’s son Joab and David’s officers also left ⌞Hebron⌟. Both groups met at the pool of Gibeon. They sat down there, one group on one side of the pool and the other group on the other side of the pool.
• 2 Samuel 8:16Zeruiah’s son Joab was in charge of the army. Ahilud’s son Jehoshaphat was the royal historian.
• 2 Samuel 20:23Now, Joab was put in charge of Israel’s whole army. Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, was in charge of the Cherethites and Pelethites.
• 2 Samuel 23:37Zelek from Ammon, Naharai from Beeroth, armorbearer for Zeruiah’s son Joab,
• 1 Chronicles 21:2David said to Joab and the leaders of the people, “Go, count Israel from Beersheba to Dan. Bring me ⌞the results⌟ so that I may know how many ⌞people⌟ there are.”
• 2 Samuel 3:10‘I, the Lord, will transfer the kingship from Saul’s family and establish David’s throne over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beersheba.’ ”
• 2 Samuel 17:11So my advice is to gather all Israel’s troops from Dan to Beersheba, since they are as numerous as the sand on the seashore. Lead them into battle yourself.
• Judges 20:1All the people of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and from Gilead came to Mizpah. The congregation stood united in the presence of the Lord.
• Deuteronomy 8:13Your herds and flocks, silver and gold, and everything else you have will increase.
• 2 Chronicles 32:25But Hezekiah was conceited, so he didn’t repay the Lord for his kindness. The Lord became angry with him, with Judah, and with Jerusalem.
• Proverbs 29:23A person’s pride will humiliate him, but a humble spirit gains honor.
• Jeremiah 17:5“This is what the Lord says: Cursed is the person who trusts humans, who makes flesh and blood his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord.
• 2 Corinthians 12:7especially because of the excessive number of revelations that I’ve had. Therefore, to keep me from becoming conceited, I am forced to deal with a recurring problem. That problem, Satan’s messenger, torments me to keep me from being conceited.

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 24:2

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21 Chronicles 21:2, supplies some missing words. This passage should run, as at 2 Samuel 24:4, “And the king said to Joab and to the princes of the host who were with him,” etc. (compare 1 Chronicles 27:22). They were employed “with Joab” as his assistants in the numbering, exactly as in the previous numbering Numbers 1:4 when a prince was appointed from each tribe to be “with” Moses and Aaron.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Dan and Beersheba were the traditional northern and southern boundaries of Israel. This phrase meant the entire land of Israel.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-92Sa 24:1-9. David Numbers the People. 1-4. again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah--"Again" carries us back to the former tokens of His wrath in the three years' famine [2Sa 21:1]. God, though He cannot tempt any man (Jas 1:13), is frequently described in Scripture as doing what He merely permits to be done; and so, in this case, He permitted Satan to tempt David. Satan…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 24:2

• Armies
• Census
• Israel
• Presumption
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Dan
• Israel
• Joab
• Sheba
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Advise
• Beersheba
• David
• Foolishly

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 24

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings