What was the number of soldiers in David’s army ?

PROBLEM

The old testament chapters: 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21 relates the story of David decision to take a census of Israel. Here we find 2 verses that seems to contradict each other about the number of soldiers:

And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand (800.000) valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand (500.000) men.

2 Samuel 24:9

And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand (1.100.000) men that drew sword: and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand (470.000) men that drew sword.1 Chronicles 21:5

SOLUTION

The bible gives us some insights about David’s army structure. Firstly, the age of soldiers was minimum 20:

But David took not the number of them from twenty years old and under: because the LORD had said he would increase Israel like to the stars of the heavens.1 Chronicles 27:23

Secondly, just after 1 Chronicles 21:5, we read that the levites and benjamines were not counted in the Judah number:

But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them: for the king’s word was abominable to Joab.1 Chronicles 21:6

Thirdly, the bible explains itself 🙂

Joab the son of Zeruiah had begun to count them, but did not finish; and because of this, wrath came upon Israel, and the number was not included in the account of the chronicles of King David.1 Chronicles 27:24

The census report in 1 Chronicles of 470.000 soldiers of Judah does not include the 30.000 mens cited in 2 Samuel 6:1. So, after the calculation: 470.000 + 30.000 = 500.000 we get the initial number from Chronicles.

Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand (30.000).2 Samuel 6:1

Why do you think God was so angry on David census so that even Joab, the army leader, was concerned about it and didn’t manage to finish it ?