Joab the son of Zeruiah began to number, but he finished not, because there fell wrath for it against Israel; neither was the number put in the account of the chronicles of king David.
Joab, the son of Zeruiah, started counting the people, but he never finished because God's anger came against Israel for doing this. The final count was never recorded in King David's official records.
This verse explains that a census was started but never completed because it brought God's judgment on Israel, so no final numbers were kept in the official records.
📚 Historical Context
This refers to David's decision to conduct a census of Israel's fighting men, which was seen as an act of pride and lack of trust in God rather than relying on divine strength. Joab, David's military commander, was reluctant to carry out this order and the census brought a plague upon Israel as divine punishment. The incident is more fully described in 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21.
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