David

[doormatt]

2 Samuel 24
1 Chronicles 21

Why was it such a great sin to take a census? Was there instructions on this given earlier to Moses?

 

[Tek7 (Legacy)]

Only glancing over the texts provided, perhaps the sin was relying on the nation's power rather than God's power? It seems David turned his eyes to military strength rather than relying on God to protect Israel.

 

[[toj.cc]WildBillKickoff]

From Matthew Henry's commentary (and this is one of six reasons he gives, but to me, the most plausible):

Some think that it was an affront to the ancient promise which God made to Abraham, that his seed should be innumerable as the dust of the earth; it savoured of distrust of that promise, or a design to show that it was not fulfilled in the letter of it. He would number those of whom God had said that they could not be numbered. Those know not what they do that go about to disprove the word of God.