1 Chronicles 27:23 Meaning and Explanation
“But David took not the number of them from twenty years old and under: because the LORD had said he would increase Israel like to the stars of the heavens.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →David did not count those under twenty, mindful of God's promise to make Israel as countless as the stars.
What Does 1 Chronicles 27:23 Mean?
The chronicler explains a limit David set: he did not number the young, those twenty years and under. He held back out of reverence for the Lord's ancient promise to Abraham, that his offspring would be as countless as the stars of heaven.
To count the young would be, in a sense, to set a boundary on what God had promised to make boundless. David's restraint is an act of faith, trusting the promise rather than measuring it. The believer too is called to rest in what God has pledged, not to reduce His abundant grace to something we can tally and contain.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Chronicles 27:23
What does 1 Chronicles 27:23 mean?
David did not count those under twenty, mindful of God's promise to make Israel as countless as the stars.