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.”
The king’s word, however, overruled Joab and the army commanders; so they left the presence of the king to enroll the fighting men of Israel.
After they had gone through the entire land, they came back to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.
Joab reported the number of the fighting men to the king: In Israel there were eight hundred thousand able-bodied men who could handle a sword, and in Judah five hundred thousand.500,000
David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, Lord, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.”
So Gad went to David and said to him, “Shall there come on you three years of famine in your land? Or three months of fleeing from your enemies while they pursue you? Or three days of plague in your land? Now then, think it over and decide how I should answer the one who sent me.” David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”
It is not clear why it was wrong to take the census. Perhaps it indicated reliance on numbers, instead of on God. The conscious that his readers may have a problem with God first inciting David to take the census, then punishing him for doing so - has Satan doing the inciting.
Why?
Satan incited David takes a census of Israel and Judah. It is the proud mind inside David to know how many man in his country.
God's mercy and grace are full and numerous, but God cares about the mind of human beings. Not one can escape the inner heart from the eyes of the Lord.
David knew he was wrong so he asked mercy from the Lord, and he took the one from hands of the Lord, instead of hands of man.
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參代上
耶和華激動大衛，是撒旦攻擊人，且經過神許可下。大衛數點軍隊的目的，是陶醉在兵盛馬壯的事。明顯是要大秀肌肉。我治理有多麼榮耀。一連串勝利，讓他陶醉於自己的成就，不是感恩，而是驕傲。
大衛數點後發現自己不過是牧羊人而已。也可能陶醉在自己的成果中。神允許撒旦去攻擊大衛，大衛可能勝過，也可能失敗於自己的驕傲。
七年飢荒（國力下降）、三個月被追（國力下降），有無這130萬拿刀的勇士，神可以使人增加百倍。目的不僅罰大衛也讓大衛看清楚誰才是真正掌權的。,犯錯是要被管教的，寧可被神管教，最怕是神不管教，交在手中。
我們是依靠神還是依靠兵強馬壯呢?我們要選擇那一個呢?
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How?
Be humble and remember the grace of the Lord.
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