So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men.
So the LORD sent a plague upon Israel from morning until the appointed time, and seventy thousand people died throughout the entire land, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south.
God sent a devastating plague across all of Israel that killed seventy thousand people as judgment for David's sin of counting his military forces.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative of 2 Samuel, King David ordered a census of Israel's fighting men, which was viewed as an act of pride and a lack of trust in God's protection, leading to God's displeasure. As a consequence, God offered David three choices of punishment, famine, military defeat, or pestilence, and David chose the pestilence, resulting in a devastating plague that killed 70,000 people from one end of Israel to the other. This event highlights God's sovereignty and the serious repercussions of sin during the time of the united monarchy under David.
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