The Bible Study Podcast, episode 265. Today, the Bible Study podcast concludes the study of Second Samuel.

Welcome to the Bible Study podcast. I'm your host, Chris Christensen. We are indeed wrapping up Second Samuel today,

and I, for one, am glad. It is hard to pronounce these names, as I've complained other times.

David enrolls the fighting men. 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.

So the king said to Joab and the army commanders with him, go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Bersheba,

and enroll the fighting men so that I may know how many there are.

But Joab replied to the king, may the Lord your God multiply the troops a hundred times over,

and may the eyes of my Lord the King see it.

But why does my Lord the King want to do such a thing?

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 crossing the Jordan, they camped near Aror, south of the town and the gorge,

and they went through Gad and on to Jazeer. They went to Gilead in the region of Tatim Hodchi,

and on to the Don John, and round toward Sidon. Then they went toward the fortress of Tyre and

all the towns around the Hivites and the Canaanites.

Finally, they went on to Bershiba in the Negev of Judah.

After they had gone through the entire land, they came back to Jerusalem at the end of nine

months and 20 days.

Joab reported the number of fighting men to the king.

In Israel, there were 800,000 able-bodied men who could handle the sword, and in Judah 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.

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