Bibbia Ebraica
Bibbia Ebraica

Midrash su II Samuele 24:9

וַיִּתֵּ֥ן יוֹאָ֛ב אֶת־מִסְפַּ֥ר מִפְקַד־הָעָ֖ם אֶל־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַתְּהִ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֡ל שְׁמֹנֶה֩ מֵא֨וֹת אֶ֤לֶף אִֽישׁ־חַ֙יִל֙ שֹׁ֣לֵֽף חֶ֔רֶב וְאִ֣ישׁ יְהוּדָ֔ה חֲמֵשׁ־מֵא֥וֹת אֶ֖לֶף אִֽישׁ׃

E Joab diede la somma della numerazione del popolo al re; e c'erano in Israele ottocentomila uomini valorosi che disegnavano la spada; e gli uomini di Giuda erano cinquecentomila uomini.

Bamidbar Rabbah

These are the accountings of the children of Israel according to their fathers' house etc (Numbers 2:32). On ten occasions were Israel counted: Once when they went down to Egypt "all the persons of Yaakov’s household who came to Egypt: seventy" (Genesis 46:27). A second time when they came out" The Children of Israel moved on from Ra’amses to Sukkot, about six hundred thousand on foot, menfolk apart from little-ones" (Exodus 12:37). A third time after the incident of the Golden Calf: "when you take up the head-count of the Children of Israel, in counting them, they are to give, each-man, a ransom for his life, for Ad-nai, when they count them, that there be no plague on them, when they count them. (Exodus 30:12). Twice in the Book of Numbers [chumash hapekudim]: once in connection with the formation of the camps (Numbers 1:2) and once in connection with the division of the land (Numbers 26:2). Twice in the days of Shaul "[Shaul] mustered them in Bezek, and the Israelites numbered 300,000, the men of Yehudah 30,000" and "Shaul mustered the troops and enrolled them at Telaim: 200,000 men on foot, and 10,000 men of Yehudah" (1 Samuel 11:8, 15:4). The eighth time in the days of David "Yoav reported to the king the number of the people that had been recorded: in Israel there were 800,000 soldiers ready to draw the sword, and the men of Yehudah numbered 500,000" (2 Samuel 24:9). The ninth time in the days of Ezra "The sum of the entire community was 42,360" (Ezra 2:64; see also Nehemiah 7:66). The tenth time will be in the future era, when, "the sheep shall pass again under the hands of One who counts them [said Ad-nai]" (Jeremiah 33:13).
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Midrash Tanchuma Buber

• Once on their descent to Egypt. It is written (in Deut. 10:22): WITH SEVENTY SOULS [DID YOUR ANCESTORS GO DOWN TO EGYPT].
• Once on their coming up, as stated (in Exod. 12:37): THEN THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL TRAVELED FROM RAMESES TO SUCCOTH, [ABOUT SIX THOUSAND].
• Once <here> in Parashah Ki Tissa.
• Twice in Waydabber (i.e., the book of Numbers):
• Once in <the chapter on> standards (Numb. 2) and
Once in <the chapter on> the division of the land (Numb. 26).
• Twice in the days of Saul: (I Sam. 15:4:) AND HE NUMBERED THEM IN TELAIM. (I Sam. 11:8:) AND HE NUMBERED THEM IN BEZEK.
• Once in the days of David, as stated (in II Sam. 24:9): AND JOAB GAVE THE SUM OF THE NUMBERING OF THE PEOPLE <UNTO THE KING>.
• Once in the coming up from the captivity, as stated (in Ezra 2:64): THE WHOLE CONGREGATION TOGETHER WAS 4 [2360].
• And once in the age to come, [of which it is stated] (in Jer. 33:13): THE SHEEP SHALL PASS AGAIN UNDER THE HANDS OF THE COUNTER.
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Midrash Tanchuma

A census of Israel was taken on ten different occasions. The first occurred when they descended to Egypt, as is said: Thy fathers went down into Egypt with three score and ten persons (Deut. 10:29). Again, when they came out of Egypt, as it is said: And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men (Exod. 12:37). Once in the Book of Numbers (it was taken) with reference to the standards (Num. 2:21); once with regard to the spies (Num. 13);15There is no biblical evidence that a census was taken at the time of the spies.. in the days of Joshua when the land was divided (Josh. 18:10); twice in the time of Saul, as is said: And he numbered them with lambs in Telaim (I Sam. 14:4) and He numbered them with pebbles in Bezek (ibid. 11:8). What is indicated by the word Telaim? When they were prosperous, he counted them by means of their lambs (telayim), but when they were poor in deeds, he counted them with stones. What is bezek? It is a stone. He took a stone for each one of them and then totaled the stones. A census was taken in the days of David, as is said: Joab gave up the sum, the number of the people to the king (II Sam. 24:9); and again at the time of Ezra: The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand, three hundred and three score (Ezra. 2:14). In the time-to-come (a census will be taken), as is said: The flock shall again pass into the hands of Him that counteth them (Jer. 33:13), and in this instance: When thou takest the sum.
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Shir HaShirim Rabbah

The Rabbis interpret the verse regarding those who departed from Egypt. “There are sixty queens,” these are the six hundred thousand [men] from the age of twenty and above who departed [from Egypt]. “And eighty concubines,” these are the eight hundred thousand Israelites from the age of twenty and below who departed. “And young women without number,” there is no limit and no tally of the proselytes.
Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Levi: The nations of the world have enumeration but do not have a tally.30At times the Torah lists their descendants, but it does not give a total number. They have enumeration:“the children of Yefet, Gomer and Magog” (Genesis 10:2). But Israel has enumeration and a tally, as it is written: “Their count according to the number of every male…[their count was seven thousand five hundred]” (Numbers 3:22); “their count,” this is the enumeration, “according to the number,” this is the tally.
Likewise, “Yoav gave the sum of the number of the census to the king…” (II Samuel 24:9), “sum,” this is the enumeration, “census,” this is the tally. If you say that we are testifying about ourselves, did not the wicked Bilam testify in our regard, as it is written: “Who has counted the dust of Jacob,” this is the enumeration, “or tallied one quarter of Israel” (Numbers 23:10), this is the tally.
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