“Yo’av reported the results of the census to the king: there were in Isra’el 800,000 valiant men who could handle a sword, while the men of Y’hudah numbered 500,000.“-2 Samuel 24:9
The results of the census were 800,000 for Israel (the 10 northern tribes) and 500,000 for southern Judah.
So the combined total was 1.3 million.
However, this number only included men of military age…generally from around 17 to 50 years of age.
To get the true population numbers, multiply 1.3 million by 5.
That comes to about 6.5 million people.
But I gotta tell you, there is a parallel account of this census in 1st Chronicles Chapter 21,
But, the numbers don’t match up at all.
That account says there were 1,100,000 soldiers in Israel and 470,000 in Judah.
That’s 1.57 million fighting men.
And it gets bigger.
Chronicles also says Joab did NOT count the tribes of Levi or Benjamin.
So the number was probably well over 8 million people…which ain’t tiny at all.
And by the way, do you know why Levi wasn’t counted?
Recall when we were way back in the Torah that the Lord set the Levites apart from the rest of Israel when He established the priesthood.
From that point on, they were no longer counted with their Hebrew brothers.
And because they were set apart, they were also exempt from military service.
This kinda reminds me of the Haredim in Israel, the ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect who are also exempt from having to serve in the Israeli army.
Anyway, let’s switch over to the takeaway.
So, based on the numbers provided here in 2nd Samuel, Chapter 24, I just told you the population number probably came to around 6.5 million souls.
More if we go by the numbers in 1st Chronicles
Anyway, let’s say we go with the smaller figure of 6.5 million.
That figure is still well over DOUBLE that of the number of Israelites who entered the Promised Land under Joshua’s leadership.
In other words, here we have mathematical evidence that the Lord does indeed keep his promises when he said the Israelites would flourish in the Promised Land.
But it ain’t just about the numbers.
History shows us something else just as clear.
Again and again, evil leaders have tried to wipe out the Jewish people.
Empires rose against them.
Tyrants plotted their destruction.
Even in modern times, monsters like Hitler believed they could erase the Jewish people from the earth.
They all failed.
Why?
Because this story was never just about people.
It was always about God’s promise.
The same God who caused Israel to multiply in the land is the same God who has kept them alive through every attempt at extinction.
You can fight armies.
You can pass laws.
You can commit horrors.
But you CANNOT cancel a promise made by God.
The numbers in Scripture prove one thing loud and clear:
God is with His people.
And because of that, they will continue to flourish.
Ya feel me?
Done.
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