And again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, count Israel and Judah:<<<
It's why I was wondering what was the particular trigger.
Like when God "hardened" Pharaoh's heart, well yes He did but not like Pharaoh was an otherwise stellar character. Hardened, as in circumstances played upon his natural inclinations. Uppity slaves making demands, of all the nerve, then Moses would call back the plagues even though Pharaoh kept changing his mind - what a dupe, that Moses.
Hence I was looking more at what *circumstances* + David's personality worked together to drive David to demand this census.
Perhaps some situation where the men were slinking out of their army duties, the numbers of those mustering being way off from what the population should have indicated, and David the type to have none of that, and...
Perfect storm. David knew better, but...
(Just for an example)
2. For the king said to Joab the captain of the army, who was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and count the people, that I may know the number of the people:
Thanks for your posts! The two translations put different slants on it.