1 Ch. 27: Who's In Charge?

1 Chronicles 27:23 "David did not take the number of the men twenty years old or less, because the LORD had promised to make Israel as numerous as the stars in the sky."

This chapter lists all the stuff David put people in charge of. First we have the divisions of the army. How many? Guess. No peeking. Oh yeah. 11. No. Wait. 1, 2, 3...12. 12 Divisions of 24,000 men. 12 months. And the system they had for figuring these divisions was that each serviceman would serve one month at a time. Each monthly division had its own line of command, as expected.

Month 1 - Jashobeam son of Zabdiel

Month 2 - Dodai the Ahohite

Month 3 - Benaiah son of Jehoiada

Month 4 - Asahel (brother of Joab), the runner guy.

Month 5 - Shamhuth the Izrahite

Month 6 - Ikkesh the Tekoite

Month 7 - Helez the Pelonite

Month 8 - Sibbecai the Hushathite

Month 9 - Abiezer the Anathothite

Month 10 - Maharai the Netophathite

Month 11 - Benaiah the Pirathonite

Month 12 - Heldai the Netophathite

Neat huh?

Each of the 12 tribes had their own "officer." I don't know if that means military officer (with the context, that sounds right) or representative...senator...I don't know for sure.

The number of the people, as ordered by David, led to the problems described in 2 Samuel 24, where God was upset at the counting. Later on in 1 Chronicles, it talks about how Joab's heart wasn't in it, and he didn't even finish the counting. He knew it was a bad idea.

Then its interesting that God had David put overseers over just about everything from the fields, to the fig and sycamore trees to the storehouses to the king's own sons. Everything had a person in charge of it to make sure things were going well, and to be an extension of the king. It's delegation.

1 Ch. 21: Censory Overload

1 Chronicles 21:8 "Then David said to God, "I have sinned greatly by doing this. Now, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing."

Here's an in-game reset of 2 Samuel 24 (entry).  Its the story where David is instructed to number Israel, but instead, he counts the fighting men. I think David knew...was aware...that he was going to be disobeying God with this act. Even Joab, who has his own moments of being unsavory knew it wasn't right, and didn't even count from Levi (who didn't have to enlist), and Benjamin because he thought it was such a bad idea. This note isn't in 2 Samuel.

So what? I think the surface lesson is to not count your own strengths in battle. But I think also, David needed a bit of humbling, maybe. He has been scoring victory after victory, and, like anyone, it could have gone to his head.

David's misjudgment results in a plague on Israel. He takes the punishment on his own head to preserve the plague-stricken nation. It was his fault, and I love his "negotiation" with Araunah. He makes this statement that is very striking. "I will not make a sacrifice to God that costs me nothing." Isn't that amazing? How much do we allow ourselves to think we give up to God. When have I sacrificed anything for God?

That Keith Green song "To Obey is Better than Sacrifice" was pretty close to target, but in the end, he sort of elevates sacrifice. So I'm not sure that applies perfectly, but there's a line where it says "I don't need your money, I want your life." David is giving up his money here, but does he give up his life? We shall see.

2 Sa. 24: Miscount

2 Samuel 24:17 "When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to the LORD, 'I am the one who has sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? Let your hand fall upon me and my family.'"

God orders a census of the nation, but David only counts the fighting men. Even Joab didn't get it. He wondered why David only wanted the fighting men counted, but David insisted. David doesn't realize it was so wrong until Joab gives him the number. I don't know exactly why this was so wrong, and why it would attack David's conscience so, but I guess when you start throwing numbers around, you begin to guage success by the numbers. God has proven himself to be beyond numbers...limitless. When someone calculates their power, that is completely against what God is all about. I wonder how often we are afraid of the numbers we crunch, not fully realizing God's capabilities.

God would have given David victory no matter what. David instead chose to put his faith in his men.

Because of this, God gives David a multiple-choice of how he would prefer to be punished. I think this is the first optional punishment God has doled out, but I could be wrong. Of three years of famine, three years of fleeing enemies or 3 days of plague, David only said he didn't want to fall into the hands of men. So God sent a plague, and wiped out 70,000 people before He was grieved and called for a halt. David wanted the punishment put only on his family. What stops plagues? Altar-building. David is led by Gad to buy the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

So this selfishness cost David 70,000 people and 50 shekels for the threshing floor. He'll learn

Nu. 26: Census II

Numbers 26:65 "For the LORD had told those Israelites they would surely die in the desert, and not one of them was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun."

OK, well that plague back in Numbers 16 wiped out a bunch of people, and God decided to have Moses take a second census. The first being back in chapter one. This census numbered how many men there were 20 or older who could serve in the army.

Reuben's descendants (from four clans) numbered 43,730. Down from 46,500. This was the clan of Dathan and Abiram who rebelled. Korah's line was not wiped out though. Verse 10 points out that this die-off was a warning sign. Not to rebel, probably.

Simeon's descendants (from five clans) numbered 22,200. Way down from 59,300.

Gad's descendants (from seven clans) numbered 40,500. Down from 45,650.

Judah's descendants (from three clans) numbered 76,500. Up from 74,600.

Issachar's descendants (from four clans) numbered 64,300. Up from 54,400.

Zebulun's descendants (from three clans) numbered 60,500. Up from 57,400.

Joseph's descendants (from five clans of Manasseh and Ephraim) numbered 52,700 and 32,500, respectively. Manasseh went way up from 32,200 and Ephraim went down from 40,500.

Benjamin's descendants (from five clans) numbered 45,600. Up from 35,400.

Dan's descendants (from the Shuhamite clan) numbered 64,400. Up from 62,700.

Asher's descendants (from three clans) numbered 53,400. Up from 41,500.

Naphtali's descendants (from four clans) numbered 45,400. Down from 53,400.

The total was 601,730. Down from 603,550.

The land was distributed as inheritance, based on the number of names. Interesting that no adults counted in the first census survived for the second one (except Caleb, Joshua and Moses), just as God promised in Numbers 14.

I wonder if these Israelites kind of viewed them as sort of father figures?

Nu. 1: Crank Them Souja Boys

For two years and two months Israel had been free from Egypt's captivity. The freedom hadn't been easy, though. It's time for a census. God told Moses and Aaron to number the amount of men twnety...excuse me, twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army and list them by name, one by one, according to the records of their clans and families. God could have just told them how many there were, but instead had the men count.

This was going to be a big job, but Moses and Aaron had help from men appointed from the community, the leaders of the tribes. These fellers helped count all the fighting men.

• Reuben - Elizur son of Shedeur (Final count: 46,500)
  
• Simeon - Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai (Final count: 59,300)
• Judah - Nahshon son of Amminadab (Final count: 74,600)
• Issachar -Nethanel son of Zuar (Final count: 54,400)
• Zebulun - Eliab son of Helon (Final count: 57,400)
• Ephraim - Elishama son of Ammihud (Final count: 40,500)
• Manasseh - Gamaliel son of Pedahzur (Final count: 32,200)
• Benjamin - Abidan son of Gideoni (Final count: 35,400)
• Dan - Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai (Final count: 62,700)
• Asher - Pagiel son of Ocran (Final count: 41,500)
• Gad - Eliasaph son of Deuel (Final count: 45,650)
• Naphtali - Ahira son of Enan (Final count: 53,400)

The Bible says the total number was 603,550. Let me get my calculator out...Yep, I got 603,550. Thereby proving the accuracy of the scriptures once and for all. At least when it comes to simple addition.

And you might be looking through the above list, going..."OK, Dan, Asher, Gad...Naphtali...Hey! What about Levi?" Well, Levi didn't have to fight. It was their responsibility to take care of and watch over the effects of the tabernacle. They were, once again, separate. They were charged with the setting up, and the taking down and moving of the tabernacle. They were clergy, and not to take up arms. Even back then, we have a separation of church and the military state. But I'm not here to get political.

The Levites were not to have any assistance in their duties surrounding the tabernacle. Any one who came close was under penalty of death.