Joab son of Zeruiah began to count the men but did not finish. For because of this census wrath came upon Israel, and the number was not entered in the Book of the Chronicles of King David.
We have here an account, I. Of the princes of the tribes. Something of the ancient order instituted by Moses in the wilderness was still kept up, that every tribe should have its prince or chief. It is probable that it was kept up all along, either by election or by succession, in the same family; and those are here named who were found in...
Commenting on 1 Chronicles 27:16-34
Joab the son of Zeruiah began to number,.... By the order of David, but entirely against his own will, see Ch1 21:2, but he finished not; the two tribes of Benjamin and Levi not being counted by him, Ch1 21:6. because there fell wrath for it against Israel; the plague being broke forth before he had done numbering, which put a stop to it, Ch1 21:14.
neither was the number put in the account of the chronicles of King David--either because the undertaking was not completed, Levi and Benjamin not having been numbered (Ch1 21:6), or the full details in the hands of the enumerating officers were not reported to David, and, consequently, not registered in the public archives. the chronicles--were the daily records or annals of the king's reign.