Then Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.
Satan rises against Israel and moves David to number the people. The census begins under a hostile provocation.
It opens the episode by naming the force that sets David’s action in motion.
1Then Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. 2So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, “Go and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan and bring me a report, so that I may know their number.” 3But Joab replied, “May the LORD multiply His troops a hundred times over. My lord the king, are they not all servants of my lord? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?” 4Nevertheless, the king’s word prevailed against Joab. So Joab departed and traveled throughout Israel, and then he returned to Jerusalem. 5And Joab reported to David the total number of the troops. In all Israel there were 1,100,000 men who drew the sword, including 470,000 in Judah. 6But Joab did not include Levi and Benjamin in the count, because the king’s command was detestable to him.