Why did Jehovah God's anger blaze against David for taking a census of Israel?

(Also see: CENSUS - Links to Information, From the Watchtower Online Library INDEX)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Why did Jehovah God's anger blaze against David for taking a census of Israel?

The specific reference is recorded at 2 Samuel 24:1 where it says: "And again the anger of Jehovah came to be hot against Israel, when one incited David against them, saying: `Go, take a count of Israel and Judah.'"

Taking a census or registration of the people was not something that was prohibited in Israel. But David's motive to follow through with this advice may have been due to pride and trust in the numbers of his army. So when he ordered Joab to take the registration, it may have demonstrated a failing to manifest full reliance on Jehovah and that glorifying God was not his main priority.

This conclusion is mainly based on what David's general Joab said at 2 Sam. 24:3: "May Jehovah your God even add to the people a hundred times as many as they are while the very eyes of my lord the king are seeing it. But as for my lord the king, why has he found delight in this thing?"

Here, Joab implies that the national strength didn't depend on numbers but on Jehovah, who could supply the numbers if that was what Jehovah wanted.

More information concerning this can be found in "Registration" I.S. Vol.2 and 3/15/69 Watchtower Questions From Readers