2 Samuel 24 · a question people ask
Why do 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21 give different numbers?
Chronicles tells of the same census, and in three places its numbers are not the ones in 2 Samuel. The total: "there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men" (24:9), and "All those of Israel were one million one hundred thousand men who drew a sword; and in Judah were four hundred seventy thousand men who drew a sword" (1 Chronicles 21:5). The famine: "Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land?" (24:13), and "either three years of famine" (1 Chronicles 21:12). The price: "So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver" (24:24), and "So David gave to Ornan six hundred shekels of gold by weight for the place" (1 Chronicles 21:25). Neither book explains the difference, and these notes don't either. Much else is told alike in both: three choices (24:12-13; 1 Chronicles 21:10-12), David's trust in the LORD's mercies, "his mercies are great" (24:14) and "his mercies are very great" (1 Chronicles 21:13), seventy thousand dead (24:15; 1 Chronicles 21:14), the LORD's "It is enough" (24:16) and David's "these sheep, what have they done?" (24:17), both in Chronicles as well (1 Chronicles 21:15, 1 Chronicles 21:17), and an altar on a threshing floor bought for a price (24:24-25; 1 Chronicles 21:24-26).
The verses
“Joab gave up the sum of the counting of the people to the king; and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.”
“Joab gave the sum of the census of the people to David. All those of Israel were one million one hundred thousand men who drew a sword; and in Judah were four hundred seventy thousand men who drew a sword.”
“So Gad came to David, and told him, saying, “Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? Or will you flee three months before your foes while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days’ pestilence in your land? Now answer, and consider what answer I shall return to him who sent me.””
“either three years of famine; or three months to be consumed before your foes, while the sword of your enemies overtakes you; or else three days of the sword of the LORD, even pestilence in the land, and the LORD’s angel destroying throughout all the borders of Israel. Now therefore consider what answer I shall return to him who sent me.’””