Solomon's Census
jay_emm
Kerygmania Host
in Kerygmania
In 2 chron 2 17/18 Solomon takes a census "after the style of David's"
David's census 1 Chr 27 did not go well. But Solomon's seems to go without comment. Despite making it clear that they were aware of a David census.
1) despite the paucity of detail, is there a reason why David was in the wrong.
2) even if the plaque was a coincidence, why wasn't Solomon (or his advisors) worried
3) I can't imagine a writer whether by semi-contemptory, writing both chronicles or following an established first chronicles, not feeling theres a 'plot hole' worthy of comment.*
The census finds 150k 'foreigners' which seems a lot for then. And they seem to do a lot of the grunt work (what were the arrangements?). While the craft work seems to be done by imported craftsmen.
*Since writing, I have the germ of an idea (basically that it reads more and more as a 'census' for immediate conscription).
David's census 1 Chr 27 did not go well. But Solomon's seems to go without comment. Despite making it clear that they were aware of a David census.
1) despite the paucity of detail, is there a reason why David was in the wrong.
2) even if the plaque was a coincidence, why wasn't Solomon (or his advisors) worried
3) I can't imagine a writer whether by semi-contemptory, writing both chronicles or following an established first chronicles, not feeling theres a 'plot hole' worthy of comment.*
The census finds 150k 'foreigners' which seems a lot for then. And they seem to do a lot of the grunt work (what were the arrangements?). While the craft work seems to be done by imported craftsmen.
*Since writing, I have the germ of an idea (basically that it reads more and more as a 'census' for immediate conscription).
Comments
That distinction didn't seem much with a census as I imagine it. As I was seeing more of a connection (with each census) to immediate labour more so.
Joel having flashbacks to when the (Egyptian) King made the Jewish people make (Egyptian) temples, and his angry reaction becomes an understatement.
The Jewish writer looking at a Jewish king making non-jews work at a Jewish temple and going "that's alright then", is analogous to the attitudes you find for most nations (and as living in a colonising one, I really dont have to look far for similar hypocrisy)
Plus Joel's inconvenient new conscience is no longer a problem.
Funny how that works, isn't it?