Thematic Bible: Enumeration of israel's military forces
Thematic Bible
Armies » Enumeration of israel's military forces
"Take a census of the entire Israeli community, numbering them by their tribes and by ancestral houses. List the names of every male one-by-one, from 20 years and upward. You and Aaron are to register everyone in Israel who is able to go to war, company by company.
"Take a census of the entire community of Israel from the age of 20 years and above, according to each ancestral tribe, counting everyone who is able to go out to war in Israel."
Saul mustered them at Bezek, and there were 300,000 Israelis and 30,000 men of Judah.
David mustered his forces and appointed officers in charge of regiments and companies. Dividing his forces into three groups, he set Joab as commander of one third of his army, Zeruiah's son Abishai, Joab's brother, as commander of another third, and Ittai from Gath as commander of another third. The king informed the army, "I'm going out to battle with you, too."
Later, God's anger blazed forth against Israel, so he incited David to move against them by telling him, "Go take a census of Israel and Judah." So the king ordered Joab, commander of the special forces, who was with him, "Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba and take a census of the people so I can be made aware of the total number." But Joab replied, "May the LORD your God increase the population of the people a hundredfold while your majesty the king is still alive to see it happen! But why does your majesty the king want to do this?" read more.
But the king's order overruled Joab and the commanders of the special forces, so Joab and the commanders of the special forces left David's presence to take a census of the people of Israel. They crossed the Jordan River, encamped at Aroer south of the town that is located in the river valley, proceeding through Gad and then on toward Jazer. They went on to Gilead and the territory of Tahtim-hodshi, then on toward Dan. From Dan they went around to Sidon and arrived at the fortified city of Tyre and all of the towns of the Hivites and Canaanites. Eventually they proceeded to Beer-sheba in the Judean Negev. After they had traveled throughout the entire land, they returned to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and 20 days. Joab reported the total number of men to the king. In Israel there were 800,000 men trained for war. In Judah there were 500,000.
But the king's order overruled Joab and the commanders of the special forces, so Joab and the commanders of the special forces left David's presence to take a census of the people of Israel. They crossed the Jordan River, encamped at Aroer south of the town that is located in the river valley, proceeding through Gad and then on toward Jazer. They went on to Gilead and the territory of Tahtim-hodshi, then on toward Dan. From Dan they went around to Sidon and arrived at the fortified city of Tyre and all of the towns of the Hivites and Canaanites. Eventually they proceeded to Beer-sheba in the Judean Negev. After they had traveled throughout the entire land, they returned to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and 20 days. Joab reported the total number of men to the king. In Israel there were 800,000 men trained for war. In Judah there were 500,000.
So Ahab gathered together 232 young men who served as officials within the provinces and then mustered 7,000 soldiers from among the Israelis.
Amaziah gathered Judah together and organized them according to their ancestral households under commanders of thousands and hundreds throughout Judah and Benjamin. He then mustered an army from those who were 20 years old and older. He discovered that there were 300,000 elite soldiers qualified for war duty and capable of handling spears and shields.