Sources on "Counting"

(12) When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel, according to their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.

"That there be no plague among them": For during a census, the Evil Eye presides, and plague comes to them, as was the case during the reign of David (I Chronicles 21:14).

(25) And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation was a hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and three-score and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: (26) a beka a head, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that passed over to them that are numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for 603,550 men.

(1) And it came to pass after the plague, that the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying: (2) ’Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, by their fathers’houses, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel.’ (3) And Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying: (4) ’[Take the sum of the people,] from twenty years old and upward, as the LORD commanded Moses and the children of Israel, that came forth out of the land of Egypt.’ ...

(51) These are they that were numbered of the children of Israel, 601,730. (52) And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: (53) ’Unto these the land shall be divided for an inheritance according to the number of names. (54) To the more thou shalt give the more inheritance, and to the fewer thou shalt give the less inheritance; to each one according to those that were numbered of it shall its inheritance be given. (55) Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot; according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit. (56) According to the lot shall their inheritance be divided between the more and the fewer.’ (57) And these are they that were numbered of the Levites after their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites; of Merari, the family of the Merarites....

(1) And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and He moved David against them, saying: ‘Go, number Israel and Judah.’ (2) And the king said to Joab the captain of the host that was with him: ‘Go now to and fro through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the sum of the people.’ (3) And Joab said unto the king: ‘Now the LORD thy God add unto the people, how many soever they may be, a hundredfold, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it; but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?’ (4) Notwithstanding the king’s word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel. (5) And they passed over the Jordan, and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that is in the middle of the valley of Gad, and unto Jazer; (6) then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi; and they came to Dan-jaan, and round about to Zidon, (7) and came to the stronghold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites; and they went out to the south of Judah, at Beer-sheba. (8) So when they had gone to and fro through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. (9) And Joab gave up the sum of the numbering of the people unto the king; and there were in Israel 800,000 valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were 500,000 men. (10) And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD: ‘I have sinned greatly in what I have done; but now, O LORD, put away, I beseech Thee, the iniquity of Thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.’ (11) And when David rose up in the morning, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying: (12) ’Go and speak unto David: Thus saith the LORD: I lay upon thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.’ (13) So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him: ‘Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thy foes while they pursue thee? or shall there be three days’pestilence in thy land? now advise thee, and consider what answer I shall return to Him that sent Me.’ (14) And David said unto Gad: ‘I am in a great strait; let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for His mercies are great; and let me not fall into the hand of man.’ (15) So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed; and there died of the people from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men...

(1) And Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel. (2) And David said to Joab and to the princes of the people: ‘Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring me word, that I may know the sum of them.’ (3) And Joab said: ‘The LORD make His people a hundred times so many more as they are; but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? why doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of guilt unto Israel?’ (4) Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem. (5) And Joab gave up the sum of the numbering of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a 1,100,000 men that drew sword; and Judah was 470,000 men that drew sword. (6) But Levi and Benjamin he did not number among them; for the king’s word was abominable to Joab. (7) And God was displeased with this thing; therefore He smote Israel. (8) And David said unto God: ‘I have sinned greatly, in that I have done this thing; but now, put away, I beseech Thee, the iniquity of Thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.’ (9) And the LORD spoke unto Gad, David’s seer, saying: (10) ’Go and speak unto David, saying: Thus saith the LORD: I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.’ (11) So Gad came to David, and said unto him: ‘Thus saith the LORD: Take which thou wilt: (12) either three years of famine; or three months to be swept away before thy foes, while the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even pestilence in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the borders of Israel. Now therefore consider what answer I shall return to Him that sent me.’ (13) And David said unto Gad: ‘I am in a great strait; let me fall now into the hand of the LORD, for very great are His mercies; and let me not fall into the hand of man.’ (14) So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel; and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men...

(5) Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and ordered them according to their fathers’houses, under captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, even all Judah and Benjamin; and he numbered them from twenty years old and upward, and found them three hundred thousand chosen men, able to go forth to war, that could handle spear and shield.

A parable: A man had a stock of fine pearls which he used to count before taking out and count again before putting away. So, similarly, God says to the Israelites, "You are my children... and therefore I count you often."