Cross Reference 1 CHRONICLES 27:23 BUT DAVID TOOK NOT THE NUMBER OF THEM FROM TWENTY YEARS OLD AND UNDER BECAUSE THE LORD HAD SAID HE WOULD INCREASE ISRAEL LIKE TO THE STARS OF THE HEAVENS

{1 Chronicles 27:23} But David 1732 took 5375 z8804 not x3808 the number 4557 of them from twenty y6242 years y8141 old 1121 x4480 x6242 x8141 and under: 4295 because x3588 the LORD 3068 had said 559 z8804 he would increase 7235 z8687 x853 Israel 3478 like to the stars 3556 of the heavens. 8064

David took not:
It seems probable, from this passage, that Joab began, by David's order, to number the children, as well as adults, but was prevented from finishing the account, probably because the plague had begun. The numbering of the effective men might have been deemed a political expedient; but pride and ostentation alone could dictate the numbering of minors and infants, especially as God had pronounced the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, innumerable.

from twenty:
"And they assembledª ° all¹ the congregationª together² ° on the firstª [day] of the secondª month,ª and they declared their pedigreesª ° after¹ their families,ª by the houseª of their fathers,ª according to the numberª of the names,ª from twentyª yearsª oldª ¹ and upward,ª by their polls.ª" {Num 1:18}

he would increase:
"And he brought him forthª °¹ abroad,ª and said,ª ° Lookª ° now¹ toward heaven,ª and tellª ° the stars,ª if¹ thou be ableª ° to numberª ° them: and he saidª ° unto him, Soª shall thy seedª be.¹" {Gen 15:5} + "Thereforeª sprang¹ there² ° evenª ofª one,ª andª himª as good as dead,ª ° [so many] asª the¹ starsª of the¹ skyª in multitude,ª andª asª the sandª whichª is byª the¹ sea² shoreª ¹ innumerable.ª" {Hbr 11:12}