Can you remind me? What was wrong with David taking the census in 2 Sam 24?
Bekah
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Each male in ancient Israel was required to bring an offering when a census was taken (Ex. 30:11-16). The only thing I have been able to guess that might have provoked God to such anger is that David did that because wanted money. The problem with that theory is that money collected during a census would have gone to the priests for the upkeep of the tabernacle, not to David, so how could a desire in David for money have played a part?
There is nothing in the law of Moses that expressly forbade a king to take take a census. Maybe God was the only one who could legitimately call for one, and David was over-reaching.
That is all I can think of. Taking a census does not seem so bad to us; it seems relatively harmless. Counting people isn’t forbidden by the law. I assume, then, that it was evil in God’s eyes because it had to do with the money.
Dad
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Ok, that’s what I thought. The only other possibility I thought of is that God could have been angered if David’s command for Joab to take a census caused the people a big physical burden. Didn’t they have to travel for a census or come together to be counted (which probably took time away from their work, houses, etc)?
Bekah
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hmmm. They might have had to do that. Mary and Joseph did, when Augustus Caesar commanded that a census be taken. That’s why they were in bethlehem when Jesus was born. Good thought.
Dad