2 Samuel 5:12

5:12 David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that he had elevated his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

2 Samuel 23:3

23:3 The God of Israel spoke,

the protector ¹  of Israel spoke to me.

The one who rules fairly among men,

the one who rules in the fear of God,

2 Samuel 24:1

David Displeases the Lord by Taking a Census

24:1 The Lord’s anger again raged against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go count Israel and Judah.” ² 

[23:3]  ¹ tn Heb “rock,” used as a metaphor of divine protection.

[24:1]  ² sn The parallel text in 1 Chr 21:1 says, “An adversary opposed Israel, inciting David to count how many warriors Israel had.” The Samuel version gives an underlying theological perspective, while the Chronicler simply describes what happened from a human perspective. The adversary in 1 Chr 21:1 is likely a human enemy, probably a nearby nation whose hostility against Israel pressured David into numbering the people so he could assess his military strength. See the note at 1 Chr 21:1.