2 Samuel 24 commentary

For the people's sin David was left to act wrong, and in his chastisement they received punishment. This example throws light upon God's government of the world, and furnishes a useful lesson. The pride of David's heart, was his sin in numbering of the people. He thought thereby to appear the more formidable, trusting in an arm of flesh more than he should have done, and though he had written so much of trusting in God only. God judges not of sin as we do. What appears to us harmless, or, at least, but a small offence, may be a great sin in the eye of God, who discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart. Even ungodly men can discern evil tempers and wrong conduct in believers, of which they themselves often remain unconscious. But God seldom allows those whom he loves the pleasures they sinfully covet.

It is well, when a man has sinned, if he has a heart within to smite him for it. If we confess our sins, we may pray in faith that God would forgive them, and take away, by pardoning mercy, that sin which we cast away by sincere repentance. What we make the matter of our pride, it is just in God to take from us, or make bitter to us, and make it our punishment. This must be such a punishment as the people have a large share in, for though it was David's sin that opened the sluice, the sins of the people all contributed to the flood. In this difficulty, David chose a judgment which came immediately from God, whose mercies he knew to be very great, rather than from men, who would have triumphed in the miseries of Israel, and have been thereby hardened in their idolatry. He chose the pestilence; he and his family would be as much exposed to it as the poorest Israelite; and he would continue for a shorter time under the Divine rebuke, however severe it was. The rapid destruction by the pestilence shows how easily God can bring down the proudest sinners, and how much we owe daily to the Divine patience.

Perhaps there was more wickedness, especially more pride, and that was the sin now chastised, in Jerusalem than elsewhere, therefore the hand of the destroyer is stretched out upon that city; but the Lord repented him of the evil, changed not his mind, but his way. In the very place where Abraham was stayed from slaying his son, this angel, by a like countermand, was stayed from destroying Jerusalem. It is for the sake of the great Sacrifice, that our forfeited lives are preserved from the destroying angel. And in David is the spirit of a true shepherd of the people, offering himself as a sacrifice to God, for the salvation of his subjects.

God's encouraging us to offer to him spiritual sacrifices, is an evidence of his reconciling us to himself. David purchased the ground to build the altar. God hates robbery for burnt-offering. Those know not what religion is, who chiefly care to make it cheap and easy to themselves, and who are best pleased with that which costs them least pains or money. For what have we our substance, but to honour God with it; and how can it be better bestowed? See the building of the altar, and the offering proper sacrifices upon it. Burnt-offerings to the glory of God's justice; peace-offerings to the glory of his mercy. Christ is our Altar, our Sacrifice; in him alone we may expect to escape his wrath, and to find favour with God. Death is destroying all around, in so many forms, and so suddenly, that it is madness not to expect and prepare for the close of life.

CHAPTER 24

2Sa 24:1-9. David Numbers the People.

1-4. again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah--"Again" carries us back to the former tokens of His wrath in the three years' famine [2Sa 21:1]. God, though He cannot tempt any man (Jas 1:13), is frequently described in Scripture as doing what He merely permits to be done; and so, in this case, He permitted Satan to tempt David. Satan was the active mover, while God only withdrew His supporting grace, and the great tempter prevailed against the king. (See Ex 7:13; 1Sa 26:19; 2Sa 16:10; Psa 105:25; Is 7:17, &c.). The order was given to Joab, who, though not generally restrained by religious scruples, did not fail to present, in strong terms (see on 1Ch 21:3), the sin and danger of this measure. He used every argument to dissuade the king from his purpose. The sacred history has not mentioned the objections which he and other distinguished officers urged against it in the council of David. But it expressly states that they were all overruled by the inflexible resolution of the king.

5. they passed over Jordan--This census was taken first in the eastern parts of the Hebrew kingdom; and it would seem that Joab was accompanied by a military force, either to aid in this troublesome work, or to overawe the people who might display reluctance or opposition.

the river of Gad--"Wady" would be a better term. It extends over a course estimated at about sixty miles, which, though in summer almost constantly dry, exhibits very evident traces of being swept over by an impetuous torrent in winter (see De 2:36).

6. the land of Tahtim-hodshi--that is, the land lately acquired; namely, that of the Hagarites conquered by Saul (1Ch 5:10). The progress was northward. Thence they crossed the country, and, proceeding along the western coast to the southern extremities of the country, they at length arrived in Jerusalem, having completed the enumeration of the whole kingdom in the space of nine months and twenty days.

9. Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king--The amount here stated, compared with 1Ch 21:5, gives a difference of three hundred thousand. The discrepancy is only apparent, and admits of an easy reconciliation; thus (see 1Ch 27:1-15), there were twelve divisions of generals, who commanded monthly, and whose duty was to keep guard on the royal person, each having a body of troops consisting of twenty-four thousand men, which, together, formed an army of two hundred eighty-eight thousand; and as a separate detachment of twelve thousand was attendant on the twelve princes of the twelve tribes mentioned in the same chapter, so both are equal to three hundred thousand. These were not reckoned in this book, because they were in the actual service of the king as a regular militia. But 1Ch 21:5 joins them to the rest, saying, "all those of Israel were one million, one hundred thousand"; whereas the author of Samuel, who reckons only the eight hundred thousand, does not say, "all those of Israel," but barely "and Israel were," &c. It must also be observed that, exclusive of the troops before mentioned, there was an army of observation on the frontiers of the Philistines' country, composed of thirty thousand men, as appears from 2Sa 6:1; which, it seems, were included in the number of five hundred thousand of the people of Judah by the author of Samuel. But the author of Chronicles, who mentions only four hundred seventy thousand, gives the number of that tribe exclusive of those thirty thousand men, because they were not all of the tribe of Judah, and therefore he does not say, "all those of Judah," as he had said, "all those of Israel," but only, "and those of Judah." Thus both accounts may be reconciled [Davidson].

2Sa 24:10-14. He, Having Three Plagues Propounded by GAD, Repents, and Chooses Three Days' Pestilence.

10-13. David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the Lord, I have sinned--The act of numbering the people was not in itself sinful; for Moses did it by the express authority of God. But David acted not only independently of such order or sanction, but from motives unworthy of the delegated king of Israel; from pride and vainglory; from self-confidence and distrust of God; and, above all, from ambitious designs of conquest, in furtherance of which he was determined to force the people into military service, and to ascertain whether he could muster an army sufficient for the magnitude of the enterprises he contemplated. It was a breach of the constitution, an infringement of the liberties of the people, and opposed to that divine policy which required that Israel should continue a separate people. His eyes were not opened to the heinousness of his sin till God had spoken unto him by His commissioned prophet.

14. David said, ... Let us fall now into the hand of the Lord--His overwhelming sense of his sin led him to acquiesce in the punishment denounced, notwithstanding its apparent excess of severity. He proceeded on a good principle in choosing the pestilence. In pestilence he was equally exposed, as it was just and right he should be, to danger as his people, whereas, in war and famine, he possessed means of protection superior to them. Besides, he thereby showed his trust, founded on long experience, in the divine goodness.

2Sa 24:15-25. His Intercession to God; the Plague Ceases.

15. from the morning--rather that morning when Gad came [2Sa 24:18], till the end of the three days.

there died of the people ... seventy thousand men--Thus was the pride of the vainglorious monarch, confiding in the number of his population, deeply humbled.

16. the Lord repented him of the evil--God is often described in Scripture as repenting when He ceased to pursue a course He had begun.

17. David ... said--or, "had said,"

I have sinned ... but these sheep, what have they done?--The guilt of numbering the people lay exclusively with David. But in the body politic as well as natural, when the head suffers, all the members suffer along with it; and, besides, although David's sin was the immediate cause, the great increase of national offenses at this time had (2Sa 24:1) kindled the anger of the Lord.

18. Araunah--or Ornan (1Ch 21:18), the Jebusite, one of the ancient inhabitants, who, having become a convert to the true religion, retained his house and possessions. He resided on Mount Moriah, the spot on which the temple was afterwards built (2Ch 3:1); but that mount was not then enclosed in the town.

21. to build an altar unto the Lord, that the plague may be stayed--It is evident that the plague was not stayed till after the altar was built, and the sacrifice offered, so that what is related (2Sa 24:16) was by anticipation. Previous to the offering of this sacrifice, he had seen the destroying angel as well as offered the intercessory prayer (2Sa 24:17). This was a sacrifice of expiation; and the reason why he was allowed to offer it on Mount Moriah was partly in gracious consideration to his fear of repairing to Gibeon (1Ch 21:29, 30), and partly in anticipation of the removal of the tabernacle and the erection of the temple there (2Ch 3:1).

23. All these things did Araunah, as a king, give--Indicating, as the sense is, that this man had been anciently a heathen king or chief, but was now a proselyte who still retained great property and influence in Jerusalem, and whose piety was evinced by the liberality of his offers. The words, "as a king," are taken by some to signify simply, "he gave with royal munificence."

24. Nay; ... I will ... buy it of thee at a price--The sum mentioned here, namely, fifty shekels of silver, equal £6 sterling, was paid for the floor, oxen and wood instruments only, whereas the large sum (1Ch 21:25) was paid afterwards for the whole hill, on which David made preparations for building the temple.

25. David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings--There seem to have been two sacrifices; the first expiatory, the second a thanksgiving for the cessation of the pestilence (see on 1Ch 21:26).

He moved David against them - God could not be angry with David for numbering the people if he moved him to do it; but in the parallel place (1Chr 21:1) it is expressly said, Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. David, in all probability, slackening in his piety and confidence toward God, and meditating some extension of his dominions without the Divine counsel or command, was naturally curious to know whether the number of fighting men in his empire was sufficient for the work which he had projected. See more on 2Sam 24:10 (note). He therefore orders Joab and the captains to take an exact account of all the effective men in Israel and Judah. God is justly displeased with this conduct, and determines that the props of his vain ambition shall be taken away, either by famine, war, or pestilence.

Joab said unto the king - This very bad man saw that the measure now recommended by the king was a wrong one, and might be ruinous to the people, and therefore he remonstrates against it in a very sensible speech; but the king was infatuated, and would hear no reason.

And pitched in Aroer - This was beyond Jordan, on the river Arnon, in the tribe of Gad: hence it appears, says Calmet, that they began their census with the most eastern parts of the country beyond Jordan.

Tahtim-hodshi - Where this place was is not exactly known: some think that the words refer to a newly conquered country, as our margin, the nether land newly inhabited; and if so, this was probably the country eastward of Gilead, which the Israelites, in the time of Saul, had conquered from the Hagarites, and dwelt in themselves. See 1Chr 5:10, where this transaction is recorded.

To Dan-jaan - Or, to Dan of the woods. This is the place so frequently mentioned, situated at the foot of Mount Libanus, near to the source of the Jordan, the most northern city of all the possessions of the Israelites in what was called the promised land, as Beer-sheba was the most southern: hence the common form of speech, From Dan to Beer-sheba, i.e., from north to south.

The strong hold of Tyre - This must have been the old city of Tyre, which was built on the main land: the new city was built on a rock in the sea.

Nine months and twenty days - This was a considerable time; but they had much work to do, nor did they complete the work, as appears from 1Chr 21:6; 1Chr 27:24. William the Conqueror made a survey of all England, particularizing "how many hides or carucates the land is taxed at; whose it was in the time of his predecessor Edward; who the present owners and sub-tenants; what and how much arable land, meadow, pasture, and wood there is, how much in demesne, i.e., held and cultivated by the landowners; how much in tenantcy, and what number of ploughs it will keep; what mills and fisheries; how many sockmen, freemen, co-liberti, cotarii, bordarii, radmanni, radchenisters, villains, maid-servants, and bondmen, there are; how many hogs the woods would support; how many churches, priests, or parsons; what customary rents, prestations, and services, are to be paid and rendered out of the lands; what has been added to the manor; what has been withheld from it, and by whom; what land is waste, and what the whole was let for in the time of King Edward; and what the nett rent, and whether it was too dear rented, and whether it might be improved." This survey was begun in the year 1080, and was finished in the year 1086, six years having been employed in the work. This most important document is still preserved; it is in the Chapter House, Westminster, in two volumes, one in folio, on three hundred and eighty-two leaves of vellum. the other in quarto, on four hundred and fifty leaves; and is in as good preservation as it was seven hundred years ago. This work was much more difficult than that which was performed by Joab and his fellows. The work itself is known by the name Domesday Book.

In Israel eight hundred thousand - the men of Judah were five hundred thousand - In the parallel place, 1Chr 21:5, the sums are widely different: in Israel one million one hundred thousand, in Judah four hundred and seventy thousand. Neither of these sums is too great, but they cannot be both correct; and which is the true number is difficult to say. The former seems the most likely; but more corruptions have taken place in the numbers of the historical books of the Old Testament, than in any other part of the sacred records. To attempt to reconcile them in every part is lost labor; better at once acknowledge what cannot be successfully denied, that although the original writers of the Old Testament wrote under the influence of the Divine Spirit, yet we are not told that the same influence descended on all copiers of their words, so as absolutely to prevent them from making mistakes. They might mistake, and they did mistake; but a careful collation of the different historical books serves to correct all essential errors of the scribes. See the Dissertations of Dr. Kennicott mentioned at the conclusion of the preceding chapter.

David said - I have sinned greatly - We know not exactly in what this sin consisted. I have already hinted, 2Sam 24:1, that probably David now began to covet an extension of empire, and purposed to unite some of the neighboring states with his own; and having, through the suggestions of Satan or some other adversary, (for so the word implies), given way to this covetous disposition, he could not well look to God for help, and therefore wished to know whether the thousands of Israel and Judah might be deemed equal to the conquests which he meditated. When God is offended and refuses assistance, vain is the help of man.

For when David was up - It is supposed that David's contrition arose from the reproof given by Gad, and that in the order of time the reproof came before the confession stated in the 10th verse.

David's seer - A holy man of God, under the Divine influence, whom David had as a domestic chaplain.

Shall seven years of famine - In 1Chr 21:12, the number is three, not seven; and here the Septuagint has three, the same as in Chronicles: this is no doubt the true reading, the letter ז zain, Seven, being mistaken for ג gimel, Three. A mistake of this kind might be easily made from the similarity of the letters.

I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the Lord - David acted nobly in this business. Had he chosen war, his own personal safety was in no danger, because there was already an ordinance preventing him from going to battle. Had he chosen famine, his own wealth would have secured his and his own family's support. But he showed the greatness of his mind in choosing the pestilence, to the ravages of which himself and household were exposed equally with the meanest of his subjects.

From the morning - to the time appointed - That is, from the morning of the day after David had made his election till the third day, according to the condition which God had proposed, and he had accepted: but it seems that the plague was terminated before the conclusion of the third day, for Jerusalem might have been destroyed, but it was not. Throughout the land, independently of the city, seventy thousand persons were slain! This was a terrible mortality in the space of less than three days.

The angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem - By what means this destruction took place, we know not: it appears that an angel was employed in it, and that this minister of Divine justice actually appeared as an object. of sight; for it is said, 2Sam 24:17, When David saw the angel that smote the people, he said, etc.; and both Ornan and his four sons saw him and were affrighted, 1Chr 21:20.

The threshing-place of Araunah - These threshing-places, we have already seen, were made in the open air. In the parallel place, 1Chr 21:15, 1Chr 21:20, etc., this person is called Ornan. The word that we render Araunah is written in this very chapter אורנה Auarnah, 2Sam 24:16, ארניה Araniah, 2Sam 24:18, ארונה Araunah or Araunah, 2Sam 24:20, and the following: but in every place in 1 Chronicles 21:1-30 where it occurs it is written ארנן Ornan. It is likely he had both names, Araunah and Ornan: but the varieties of spelling in 2 Samuel must arise from the blunders of transcribers.

But these sheep, what have they done? - It seems that in the order of Providence there is no way of punishing kings in their regal capacity, but by afflictions on their land, in which the people must necessarily suffer. If the king, therefore, by his own personal offenses, in which the people can have no part, bring down God's judgments upon his people, (though they suffer innocently), grievous will be the account that he must give to God. The people generally suffer for the miscarriages of their governors: this has been observed in every age.

Quicquid delirant reges, plectuntur Achivi. - "When doting monarchs urge

Unsound resolves, their subjects feel the scourge."

Hor. Ep. lib. i., ep. 2, ver. 14.

Against my father's house - That is, against his own family; even to cut it off from the face of the earth.

Go up, rear an altar unto the Lord - This place is supposed to be Mount Moriah: on which, according to the rabbins, Cain and Abel offered their sacrifices; where Abraham attempted to sacrifice Isaac, and where the temple of Solomon was afterwards built.

Here be oxen for burnt-sacrifice - He felt for the king; and showed his loyalty to him by this offer. He felt for the people; and was willing to make any sacrifice to get the plague stayed. He felt for his own personal safety; and therefore was willing to give up all to save his life. He felt for the honor of God; and therefore was glad that he had a sacrifice to offer, so that God might magnify both his justice and mercy.

As a king, give unto the king - Literally, All these did King Araunah give unto the king. That there could not be a king of the Jebusites on Mount Moriah, is sufficiently evident; and that there was no other king than David in the land, is equally so: the word המלך hammelech, "the king," given here to Araunah, is wanting in the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic; in three of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS., and in the parallel place in Chronicles: and, it is very probable, never made a part of the text. Perhaps it should be read, All these did Arnunah give unto the king.

There is, however, a difficulty here. David had taken the fortress of the Jebusites many years before; yet it is evident that Araunah was proprietor of the soil at this time. It is not clear that he was a subject of David; but he paid him respect as a neighbor and a king. This is merely possible.

Neither will I offer burnt-offerings - It is a maxim from heaven, "Honour the Lord with thy substance." He who has a religion that costs him nothing, has a religion that is worth nothing: nor will any man esteem the ordinances of God, if those ordinances cost him nothing. Had Araunah's noble offer been accepted, it would have been Araunah's sacrifice, not David's; nor would it have answered the end of turning away the displeasure of the Most High. It was David that sinned, not Araunah: therefore David must offer sacrifice, and at his own expense too.

David - offered burnt-offerings - And that these sacrifices were pleasing to the Lord, is evident from a circumstance marked in the parallel place, 1Chr 21:26 : David called upon the Lord, and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt-offering.

The plague was stalled - Jerusalem did not share in the common calamity, seventy thousand being the whole that were slain throughout the land.

This book is unfinished, and requires 1 Chronicles 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29, to complete it. A few things relative to this history may be found in the beginning of the following book; but the information in 1 Chronicles is much more extensive and satisfactory.

His father, &c. - Most unhappy parents, that thus help to damn their own children's souls!

AND again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them , to say , Go number Israel and Judah.

To wit, after the former tokens of his Anger, such as the three years Famine, Chap. 21.

He; Who? Either 1. Satan, as is Expressed, 1 Chron. 21. 1. Or, 2. God; who is said, in like manner, to stir up Saul against David, 1 Sam. 26. 19. and to turn the hearts of the Egyptians to hate his people, Psal. 105. 25. and to make men to err from his ways, Isa. 63. 17. and to send strong delusions, &c. and to harden their hearts. All which Expressions are not so to be understood, as if God did work these sinful Dispositions, which neither was necessary, because they are naturally in every man's heart, nor possible for the holy God to do; but because he permits them, and withdraws his grace, and all restraints and hindrances from them, and giveth occasions and advantages to them; and directs their thoughts to such Objects as may indeed be innocently thought of, which yet he knows they will wickedly abuse, and give them up to Satan, who, he knows, will deceive and enti[illegible: 1+ letters]e them to such and such Sins; which, being tempted to do by Satan, and being effected by their own Wicked hearts, he so orders and over-rules, that they shall be Punishments for their former Sins.

i. e. For Israels Punishment.

Or, saying. For this may be referred, either 1. to God, of whom the same Expression is used, 2 Sam. 16. 10. The Lord said to Shimei, Curse David. Which in both places is not to be understood of any command or impulse of God, but of his secret Providence, disposing things in manner here above expressed. Or, 2. to David: he moved David to say, to wit, to Ioab, as he did, ver. 2.

Marginal references: Satan, See 1 Chron. 21. 1▪

2 For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people .

Which Expression points at David's Sin in this matter, that he numbred them, not by direction from God, nor for any important business of the Church or Kingdom; but out of meer curiosity, and pride, and vain-glory; accompanied either with a secret distrust of God's Promise; or rather, with a carnal confidence in the Numbers of his People. All which were great Sins, and were so manifest, that not onely God saw them, and all the degrees and aggravations of them in David; but even Ioab and the Captains of the Host were very sensible of them, ver. 3, 4.

Marginal references: Or, Compass.

3 And Joab said unto the king, Now the LORD thy God add unto the people (how many soever they be) an hundred fold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing ?

What reason or necessity is there for this Action? It is to no purpose, and will be burdensome to thy People, and may offend God, and produce ill Effects.

4 Notwithstanding, the kings 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.

Ioab perceiving the King bent upon it, would not hazard the King's favour, by further disputing, or disobeying his Command.

5 ¶ And they passed over Jordan , and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the river of Gad , and toward Jazer .

They began their Computation in the Eastern part of David's Dominions, which were beyond Iordan.

Or, encamped. For Ioab carried with them divers of his Commanders, and others; partly, for his Honour, and the credit of the Work: partly, to assist him in that troublesom Work: and partly, to overcome the People, in case they should Oppose it as sinful or burdensome, or favouring of some Evil Design which David might have upon them.

i. e. Of the River which lay in the Tribe of Gad, or upon the borders of Gad and Reuben, which was called Arnon, Deut. 2. 36.

Or, near Iazer, which also was upon the River Arnon.

Marginal references: Or, Valley.

6 Then they came to Gilead , and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi ; and they came to Dan▪Jaan , and about to Zidon ,

To Mount Gilead, which lay Northward from Arnon.

A Place so called. Or, the low-land lately gained; i. e. not given by Ioshua, but taken lately from the Hagarens by Saul; which was near Gilead: 1 Chron. 5. 10.

i. e. Probably, the Famous City of Dan, as it is called, Iosh. 19. 47. Iudg. 18. 7. for this was in the Northern Border of the Land, and in the way from Gilead to Zidon.

i. e. To the City and Territory of Zidon; but not into it, because it was not in the Power and Possession of the Israelites: and the like it to be thought concerning Tyre, and the Cities which the Hivites and Canaanites yet Possessed in the Neighbourhood of Tyre and Sidon.

Marginal references: Or, Nether land newly inhabited.

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

Obj. In 1 Chron. 21. 5. They are Numbred 1100 thousand. Answ. The sum here Expressed, is onely of such as were not in the ordinary and settled Militia waiting upon the King, which being 24000 for every Month, as is largely related, 1 Chron. 27. amounts to 288 Thousand, which either with their several Commanders, or with the Soldiers placed in several Garisons, might very well make up 300 Thousand. Or, 288 Thousand may pass in such accounts for 300 Thousand; it being frequent in such great Sums to neglect a smaller number. But in the Book of the Chronicles, which was to gather up the Fragments omitted in the former Books, both sorts are put together, and so they amount to 1100 Thousand.

In 1 Chron. 21. 5. but 470 Thousand. Answ. Either, 1. they were exactly no more, but are called 500 Thousand in a round sum, as is usual in Scripture, and other Authors. Or, 2. the Garison-Soldiers, and such as were imployed in other Services about the King are here included, which are there excluded. Or, 3. They were 500 Thousand when Ioab gave up the Number to the King; though presently after that, they were but 470 Thousand, 30000 being slain by the Plague, in the Tribe of Iudah; which being David's own Tribe, it was but just and fit it should suffer more than the rest for this Sin. And though it be true, that Ioab gave up the Sum before the Plague begun, yet the Sacred Penman of the Book of Chronicles, thought fit to make a defalcation of them who had been swept away by the Plague, that the Judgment of God therein might be observed. Or, 4. there are included here the 30000 which belonged to the 30 Colonels mentioned Chap. 23. who are Excluded 1 Chron. 21. although it be questionable, whether those were all of the Tribe of Iudah.

10 ¶ And Davids heart smo[illegible: 1+ letters]e him after that he had numbred the people: and David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant, for I have done very foolishly.

His Conscience discerned his Sin, and he was heartily sorry for it. And the occasion of his Repentance was, Gods Message by the Prophet Gad, as it here follows, ver. 11. For when, &c. as formerly God's Message by Nathan had the same effect, 2 Sam. 12. Both which Passages are Noted, to shew how necessary the further and repeated supplies of God's grace, are even to the best of men, to raise them when they fall into Sin.

Because I am sensible of my Sin and Folly, as it is more fully Expressed, Psal. 51. 5, 6. Or, although, as this Particle is oft used.

11 For when David was up in the morning, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Gad, Davids seer , saying,

So called, because he was a Prophet (for such were called Seers, 1 Sam. 9. 9.) now and at other times employed by God to Reveal his Mind and Will to David. See 1 Sam. 22. 5. 1 Chron. 29. 29.

Marginal references: 2 Ch[illegible: 1+ letters]. 29. [illegible: 1 word]

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 thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me.

Obj. In 1 Chron. 21. 12. it is onely three years of famine. Ans. 1. Some conceive, that here was an Error in the Transcriber, and that the true Reading is, three years, as the LXX read it in this place, being supposed to have found it so in their Copi[illegible: 1+ letters]s, and that otherwise they durst never have presumed to make so great a change in the Text. 2. In Chron. he speaks exactly of those years of Famine onely which came for David's Sin: but here he speaks more confusedly and comprehensively, including those Three years of Famine sent for Saul's Sin, Chap. 21. And this Sin of David's was Committed in the Year next after them, which was in a manner a year of Famine; either, because it was the Sabbatical Year, wherein they might not Sow, nor Reap: or rather, because not being able to Sow in the Third Yea[illegible: 1+ letters] ▪ because of the Excessive Drought, they were not capable of Reaping this Fourth Year. And Three Years more being added to these Four, make up the Seven here mentioned. So the meaning of the Words is this, As thou hast already had Four Years of Famine, shall Three years more come? And that it is said of these Seven Years, that they shall come, it is a Synecdochical Expression frequent in Scripture, because part of the years were yet to come. Even as it is said of the Israelites, that they should wander in the wilderness forty years, Numb. 14. 33. when part of that time was already spent.

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.

To wit, his immediate Stroke, which is chiefly in the Pestilence: for though the Sword and Famine be also God's Hand, yet there is also the hand of Man, or other Creatures in them. The reason of this choice, was partly his Experience in, and confidence of God's great goodness: partly, because the other Judgments, especially the Sword, had been more dishonourable, not onely to David, but also to God, and to his People, and to the True Religion: and partly, because he having sinned himself, thought it just and reasonable to chuse such a Plague to which he was as obnoxious as his People; whereas, he had better fences fo[illegible: 1+ letters] himself against Sword and Famine than they had.

And therefore will not exceed measure in his Strokes, as me[illegible: 1+ letters] will do.

Marginal references: Or, [illegible: 1 word].

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 .

Either, 1. From Morning to Evening, which is here called the time appointed; or, the time of the convention, or publick meeting, as this Hebrew Word oft signifies, i. e. till the time of the Evening-Prayer and Sacrifice, when the people used more solemnly to meet together. See Psal. 141. 2. Act. 3. 1. Thus God mitigated his Sentence, and turned three days into one; it being a thing not unusual with God, to qualifie his threatnings, and to take off the evil threatned sometimes wholly, as in Ninevehs Case, and sometimes in part. And this God might do here upon the speedy and serious Repentance of David, and of his People. Or rather, 2. from the morning, (or rather, from that morning; for the Article seems to be Emphatical, and to denote, That very morning in which Gad came to David, ver. 11. and that the Plague did immediately ensue after Gad's offer, and David's choice:) even to the time appointed; to wit, by God, i. e. for Three Days, as God had set the time, ver. 13. Object. If it continued Three Days, how is it said, That God repented him of the evil, and stopped the Angel in his course? ver. 16: Answ. This he did in the beginning of the Third Day, whereas otherwise it should have gone on to the end of the Day. Or, it may signify no more but this; At the end of the third day God gave over smiting: for then is God said (after the manner of men) to repent, when he ceaseth to proceed as before he had done.

So the number of his people, which was the matter of his pride and glorying, was diminished.

16 And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil , and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshing-place of Araunah the Jebusite.

Which appeared in the shape of a Man with a Sword in his hand, 1 Chron. 21. 16. to convince them more fully that this was no natural nor common Plague, but inflicted immediately by the hand of God.

Which he had begun to smite, and was proceeding to make a far greater slaughter.

i. e. He moderated, and in part recalled his Sentence of the Plagues continuance for three whole days, and this he did upon David's Prayers and Sacrifices, as appears from v. 25. though these be mentioned afterward.

Called also Araunah in the Hebrew of v. 18. and Ornan, 1 Chron. 21. 22. such changes in the pronunciation of the names being usual in Scripture.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1+ letters] Sam. 15. 11.; [illegible: 1+ letters] Chron. 21. 1[illegible: 1+ letters], 20, 21.

17 And David spake unto the LORD, when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? Let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me , and against my fathers house .

Wherein David shews his Justice, and Piety, and Fatherly care of his people, and that he was a Type of Christ.

Against my nearest Relations, who probably either put David upon, or encouraged him in this action, because they were no less vain-glorious than David; and the honour which they thought would come to David thereby, would also redound to them; or, at least they did not use their utmost indeavours to dissuade David from it, as they should have done, and therefore were involved in David's guilt. Howsoever it was but fit and reasonable that his Family which did partake of his honour and happiness, should also partake in his suffering, rather than those who were less related to him. Nor doth David absolutely desire that they may suffer, but onely speaks comparatively, and by way of supposition, and with reference to Gods good pleasure.

18 ¶ And Gad came that day to David , and said unto him, Go up , rear an altar unto the LORD, in the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite .

By command from God, v. 19. 1 Chron. 21. 18.

To Mount Moriah.

Which place God appointed for this work, partly, in Gracious condescension to, and compliance with David's fear of going to Gibeon, which is expressed 1 Chron. 21. 29, 30. partly, because this was the place where God by his Angel appeared in a threatning posture, where therefore it was meet he should be appeased: and partly, because God would hereby signify the translation of the Tabernacle from Gibeon hither, and the erection of the Temple here, 2 Chron. 3. 1.

21 And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant ? And David said, To buy the threshing-floor of thee to build an altar unto the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people.

Wherefore doth the King do me this honour, and give himself the trouble of coming to me?

Marginal references: Sacrifices may be offered, and so.

22 And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: Behold, here be oxen for burnt▪sacrifice, and threshing-instruments, and other instruments of the oxen for wood.

Which were employed by him in his present work, which was threshing, 1 Chron. 21. 20. See the notes on Deut. 25. 4.

23 All these things did Araunah, as a king , give unto the king: and Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee .

The Particle, as, being understood, as it oft is in the Hebrew: i. e. with a Royal bounty. Or, Araunah the king▪ as he might be called, either, because he was King of the Iebusites before David took their City: or, because he was the Son and Heir of that King.

He not onely offered, but actually gave them, i. e. he actually resigned his right and property in them unto David; for so he did; and David by his refusal returned it to Araunah again.

He was a Iebusite by Nation, but an hearty Proselyte: which made him so liberal in his offers to Gods service, and the common good of Gods people.

24 And the king said unto Araunah, Nay, but I will shrely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt-offerings unto the LORD my God, of that which doth cost me nothing . So David bought the threshing▪floor, and the oxen, for fifty shekels of silver .

For this would be both dishonourable to God, as if I thought him not worthy of a costly Sacrifice: and a disparagement to my self, as if I were unable or unwilling to offer a Sacrifice of my own goods: and unsatisfactory to the command of God, which obligeth all offenders, and me in a particular manner, to offer Sacrifice of their own Estate.

Obj. In 1 Chron. 21. 25. he is said to give for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight. Ans. These two places may be fairly reconciled divers ways. First, Here he speaks of the price paid for the threshing-floor, and oxen, and Instruments; and there for the whole place adjoyning, on which the Temple and its Courts were built, which certainly was very much larger than this Threshing-floor, and probably had Araunah's House, if not some others, now built upon it. Secondly, The Shekels here may be of Gold; and in 1 Chron. 21. of Silver; and so the proportion of Gold to Silver being that of twelve to one, 50 Shekels of Gold make 600 Shekels of Silver. And whereas it may be objected, That on the contrary these 50 Shekels are said to be of Silver, and the 600 of Gold; this they answer by another translation of the words. For they render this place thus, agreeably enough to the words and the order of the Hebrew Text, he bought them for silver, (or, for money, as the Hebrew word Ch[illegible: 1+ letters]seph, oft signifies, and particularly in this very History in the Parallel place, 1 Chron. 21. 24. where David desires to buy it for the full price, or for full money, where in the Hebrew it is for full silver): even for fifty shekels, to wit, of Gold, as it is expressed 1 Chron. 21. 25. which place they render thus, and that consonantly to the Hebrew, he gave shekels of gold of the value (for the Hebrew word Mishk[illegible: 1+ letters]l, signifies value as well as weight, as was before noted on 2 Sam. 12. 30.) of six hundred shekels, to wit, of Silver. And this may seem added in the Book of the Chronicles, lest it should be thought that the 50 Shekels here mentioned were but common and Silver Shekels. Thirdly, There is a considerable difference in the Phrase in these two places. Here he mentions for what David bought it, or what he was obliged to give for it; and in Chronicles what he actually gave for it, to wit, of his Royal bounty, over and besides the full price of it: which was decent and convenient for so great a King, and especially upon so great an occasion, and to him who had given him such a noble example.

Marginal references: 1 Chr. 21▪

25 And David built there an altar unto the LORD , and offered burnt-offerings , and peace-offerings : so the LORD was intreated for the land , and the plague was stayed from Israel.

Which he might well do, having Gods command for it, and the place being Sanctified by Gods special presence in and by the Angel.

To make atonement for his sins.

To praise God for his Gracious manifestation of himself.

As appeared both by fire from Heaven, which consumed the Sacrifices, as was usual in such cases: and by the speedy cessation of the Plague.

2Sa 24:1 “Again the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel; and He moved David against them, saying, Go, number Israel and Judah.” לחרות ... ויּסף points back to the manifestation of the wrath of God, which Israel had experienced in the three years’ famine (2 Samuel 21). Just as that plague had burst upon the land on account of the guilt which rested upon the people, so the kindling of the wrath of God against Israel a second time also presupposes guilt on the part of the nation; and as this is not expressly pointed out, we may seek for it generally in the rebellions of Absalom and Sheba against the divinely established government of David. The subject to “moved” is Jehovah, and the words “against them” point back to Israel. Jehovah instigated David against Israel to the performance of an act which brought down a severe judgment upon the nation. With regard to the idea that God instigates to sin, see the remarks on 1Sa 26:19. In the parallel text of the Chronicles, Satan is mentioned as the tempter to evil, through whom Jehovah had David to number the people.

2Sa 24:2

David entrusted the task to his commander-in-chief Joab. אתּו אשׁר, “who was with him:” the meaning is, “when he was with him” (David). We are not warranted in attempting any emendations of the text, either by the expression אתּו אשׁר, or by the reading in the Chronicles, העם ועל־שׂרי (“and to the rulers of the people”); for whilst the latter reading may easily be seen to be a simplification founded upon 2Sa 24:4, it is impossible to show how אתּו אשׁר שׂר־החיל, which is supported by all the ancient versions (with the sole exception of the Arabic), could have originated in העם ואל־שׂרי. “Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba (see at Jdg 20:1), and muster the people.” פּקד, to muster or number, as in Num 1:44. The change from the singular שׁוּט to the plural פּקדוּ may be explained very simply, from the fact that, as a matter of course, Joab was not expected to take the census by himself, but with the help of several assistants.

2Sa 24:3

Joab discountenanced the thing: “Jehovah thy God add to the nation, as it is, a hundredfold as many, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?” The ו before יוסף stands at the commencement, when what is said contains a sequel to something that has gone before (vid., Ges. §255, 1, a.). The thought to which Joab’s words are appended as a sequel, is implied in what David said, “that I may know the number of the people;” and if expressed fully, his words would read somewhat as follows: “If thou hast delight in the greatness of the number of the people, may Jehovah,” etc. Joab evidently saw through the king’s intention, and perceived that the numbering of the people could not be of any essential advantage to David’s government, and might produce dissatisfaction among the people, and therefore endeavoured to dissuade the king from his purpose. וכהם כּהם, “as they (the Israelites) just are,” i.e., in this connection, “just as many as there are of them.” From a grammatical point of view, כּהם is to be taken as the object to יוסף, as in the parallel passages, Deu 1:11; 2Sa 12:8. Not only did he desire that God would multiply the nation a hundredfold, but that He would do it during the lifetime of David, so that his eyes might be delighted with the immense numbers.

2Sa 24:4-5

But as the king’s word prevailed against Joab and against the captains of the army, they (Joab and the other captains) went out to number Israel. יחנוּ, they encamped, i.e., they fixed their headquarters in the open field, because great crowds assembled together. This is only mentioned here in connection with the place where the numbering commenced; but it is to be understood as applying to the other places as well (Thenius). In order to distinguish Aroer from the place of the same name in the Arnon, in the tribe of Reuben (Jos 12:2; Num 32:34, etc.), it is defined more precisely as “the town in the brook-valley of Gad,” i.e., Aroer of Gad before Rabbah (Jos 13:25; Jdg 11:33), in the Wady Nahr Ammân, to the north-east of Ammân (see at Jos 13:25). ועל־יעזר (and to Jazer): this is a second place of encampment, and the preposition אל is to be explained on the supposition that יבאוּ (they came), which follows, was already in the writer’s thoughts. Jazer is probably to be found in the ruins of es Szir, at the source of the Nahr Szir (see at Num 21:32).

2Sa 24:6 “And they came to Gilead,” i.e., the mountainous district on the two sides of the Jabbok (see at Deu 3:10). The words which follow, viz., “into the land חדשׁי תּחתּים” are quite obscure, and were unintelligible even to the earlier translators. The Septuagint has γῆν Ἐθαὼν Ἀδασαί, or γῆν Θαβασών (also γῆν χεττιείμ) ἥ ἐστιν Ἀδασαί. Symmachus has τὴν κατωτέραν ὁδόν; Jonathan לחדשׁי דרומא לארעא (“into the southland Chodshi”); and the Vulgate in terram inferiorem. The singular form תּחתּים, and the fact that we never read of a land called Chodshi, render the conjecture a very probable one that the text is corrupt. But it is no longer possible to discover the correct reading. Ewald imagines that we should read Hermon instead of the unintelligible Chodshi; but this is not very probable. Böttcher supposes תחתים to be a mistake in writing for ים תּחת, “below the lake,” namely the lake of Gennesareth, which might have been called Chodshi (the new-moon-like), since it had very much the appearance of a crescent when seen from the northern heights. This is ingenious, but incredible. The order of the places named points to the eastern side of the sea of Galilee; for they went thence to Dan-jaan, i.e., the Dan in northern Peraea, mentioned in Gen 14:14, to the south-west of Damascus, at that time probably the extreme north-eastern boundary of the kingdom of David, in the direction towards Syria (see at Gen 14:14): “and round to Sidon,” the extreme north-western boundary of the kingdom.

2Sa 24:7

Thence southwards to the fortress of Zor, i.e., Tyre (see at Jos 19:29), and “into all the towns of the Hivites and Canaanites,” i.e., the towns in the tribes of Naphtali, Zebulun, and Issachar, or the (subsequent) province of Galilee, in which the Canaanites had not been exterminated by the Israelites, but had only been made tributary.

2Sa 24:8-9

When they had traversed the whole land, they came back to Jerusalem, at the end of nine months and twenty days, and handed over to the king the number of the people mustered: viz., 800,000 men of Israel fit for military service, drawing the sword, and 500,000 men of Judah. According to the Chronicles (1Ch 21:5), there were 1,100,000 Israelites and 470,000 Judaeans. The numbers are not given by thousands, and therefore are only approximative statements in round numbers; and the difference in the two texts arose chiefly from the fact, that the statements were merely founded upon oral tradition, since, according to 1Ch 27:4, the result of the census was not inserted in the annals of the kingdom. There is no ground, however, for regarding the numbers as exaggerated, if we only bear in mind that the entire population of a land amounts to about four times the number of those who are fit for military service, and therefore 1,300,000, or even a million and a half, would only represent a total population of five or six millions, - a number which could undoubtedly have been sustained in Palestine, according to thoroughly reliable testimony as to its unusual fertility (see the discussion of this subject at Num 1-4, <, Pentateuch, pp. 651-57). Still less can we adduce as a proof of exaggeration the fact, that according to 1Ch 27:1-15, David had only an army of 288,000; for it is a well-known fact, that in all lands the army, or number of men in actual service, is, as a rule, much smaller than the total number of those who are capable of bearing arms. According to 1Ch 21:6, the tribes of Levi and Benjamin were not numbered, because, as the chronicler adds, giving his own subjective view, “the word of the king was an abomination to Joab,” or, as it is affirmed in 1Ch 27:4, according to the objective facts, “because the numbering was not completed.” It is evident from this, that in consequence of Joab’s repugnance to the numbering of the people, he had not hurried with the fulfilment of the kings’ command; so that when David saw his own error, he revoked the command before the census was complete, and so the tribe of Benjamin was not numbered at all, the tribe of Levi being of course eo ipso exempt from a census that was taken for the sake of ascertaining the number of men who were capable of bearing arms.

2Sa 24:10-18

David’s heart, i.e., his conscience, smote him, after he had numbered the people, or had given orders for the census to be taken. Having now come to a knowledge of his sin, he prayed to the Lord for forgiveness, because he had acted foolishly. The sin consisted chiefly in the self-exaltation which had led to this step (see the introductory remarks).

2Sa 24:19

David went up to Aravnah according to the command of God.

2Sa 24:20-21

When Aravnah saw the king coming up to him with his servants (ויּשׁקף, “he looked out,” viz., from the enclosure of the threshing-floor), he came out, bowed low even to the earth, and asked the king what was the occasion of his coming; whereupon David replied, “To buy the floor from thee, to build an altar to the Lord, that the plague may be turned away from the people.”

2Sa 24:22-23

Aravnah replied, “Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold (i.e., there thou hast) the ox for the burnt-offering, and the threshing-machine, and the harness of the ox for wood” (i.e., for fuel). הבּקר, the pair of oxen yoked together in front of the threshing-machine. הבּקר כּלי, the wooden yokes. “All this giveth Aravnah, O king, to the king.” המּלך is a vocative, and is simply omitted by the lxx, Vulgate, Syriac, and Arabic, because the translators regarded it as a nominative, which is quite unsuitable, as Aravnah was not a king. When Thenius, on the other hand, objects to this, for the purpose of throwing suspicion upon the passage, that the sentence is thus stamped as part of Aravnah’s address to the king, and that in that case the words that follow, “and Aravnah said,” would be altogether superfluous; the former remark is correct enough, for the words “all this giveth Aravnah ... to the king” must form part of what Aravnah said, inasmuch as the remark, “all this gave Aravnah to the king,” if taken as the historian’s own words, would be in most glaring contradiction to what follows, where the king is said to have bought the floor and the oxen from Aravnah. And the words that follow (“and Aravnah said”) are not superfluous on that account, but simply indicate that Aravnah did not proceed to say the rest in the same breath, but added it after a short pause, as a word which did not directly bear upon the question put by the king. ויּאמר (and he said) is often repeated, where the same person continues speaking (see for example 2Sa 15:4, 2Sa 15:25, 2Sa 15:27). “Jehovah thy God accept thee graciously,” i.e., fulfil the request thou presentest to Him with sacrifice and prayer.

2Sa 24:24

The king did not accept the offer, however, but said, “No; but I will buy it of thee at a price, and will not offer burnt-offerings to the Lord my God without paying for them.” Thus David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. Instead of this, the Chronicles give “shekels of gold, in weight six hundred.” This difference cannot be reconciled by assuming that David paid his fifty shekels in gold coin, which would have been worth as much as six hundred shekels of silver, since gold was worth twelve times as much as silver. For there is nothing about gold shekels in our text; and the words of the Chronicles cannot be interpreted as meaning that the shekels of gold were worth six hundred shekels of silver. No other course is left, therefore, than to assume that the number must be corrupt in one of the texts. Apparently the statement in the Chronicles is the more correct of the two: for if we consider that Abraham paid four hundred shekels of silver for the site of a family burial-place, at a time when the land was very thinly populated, and therefore land must certainly have been much cheaper than it was in David’s time, the small sum of fifty shekels of silver (about £6) appears much too low a price; and David would certainly pay at least fifty shekels of gold. But we are not warranted in any case in speaking of the statement in the Chronicles, as Thenius does, as “intentionally exaggerated.” This style of criticism, which carries two kinds of weights and measure in its bag, explaining the high numbers in the books of Samuel and Kings as corruptions of the text, and those in the Chronicles as intentional exaggerations on the part of the chronicler, is sufficiently dealt with by the remark of Bertheau, that “this (i.e., the charge of exaggeration) could only be sustained if it were perfectly certain that the chronicler had our present text of the books of Samuel before him at the time.”

2Sa 24:25

After acquiring the threshing-floor by purchase, David built an altar to the Lord there, and offered burnt-offerings and supplicatory-offerings (shelamim: as in Jdg 20:26; Jdg 21:4; 1Sa 13:9) upon it to the Lord. “So Jehovah was entreated, and the plague was turned away from Israel.”

This remark brings to a close not only the account of this particular occurrence, but also the book itself; whereas in the Chronicles it is still further stated that Jehovah answered David with fire from heaven, which fell upon the burnt-offering; and that after his prayer had been answered thus, David not only continued to offer sacrifice upon the floor of Aravnah, but also fixed upon it as the site for the temple which was afterwards to be built (1Ch 21:27; 1Ch 22:1); and to this there is appended, in 2Sa 22:2., an account of the preparations which David made for the building of the temple. It is not affirmed in the Chronicles, however, that David fixed upon this place as the site for the future temple in consequence of a revelation from God, but simply that he did this, because he saw that the Lord had answered him there, and because he could not go to Gibeon, where the tabernacle was standing, to seek the Lord there, on account of the sword of the angel, i.e., on account of the pestilence. The command of God build an altar upon the threshing-floor of Aravnah, and offer expiatory sacrifices upon it, when connected with His answering his prayer by turning away the plague, could not fail to be taken as a distinct intimation to David, that the site of this altar was the place where the Lord would henceforth make known His gracious presence to His people; and this hint was quite sufficient to determine the site for the temple which his son Solomon was to build.

The People Numbered. (b. c. 1017.)

1 And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah. 2 For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people. 3 And Joab said unto the king, Now the Lord thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, a hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may 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 Jordan, and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the river of Gad, and toward Jazer: 6 Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi; and they came to Dan-jaan, and about to Zidon, 7 And came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites: and they went out to the south of Judah, even to Beer-sheba. 8 So when they had gone 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 number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

Here we have,

I. The orders which David gave to Joab to number the people of Israel and Judah, v. 1, 2. Two things here seem strange:—1. The sinfulness of this. What harm was there in it? Did not Moses twice number the people without any crime? Does not political arithmetic come in among the other policies of a prince? Should not the shepherd know the number of his sheep? Does not the Son of David know all his own by name? Might not he make good use of this calculation? What evil has he done, if he do this? Answer, It is certain that it was a sin, and a great sin; but where the evil of it lay is not so certain. (1.) Some think the fault was that he numbered those that were under twenty years old if they were but of stature and strength able to bear arms, and that this was the reason why this account was not enrolled, because it was illegal, 1 Chron. xxvii. 23, 24. (2.) Others think the fault was that he did not require the half-shekel, which was to be paid for the service of the sanctuary whenever the people were numbered, as a ransom for their souls, Exod. xxx. 12. (3.) Others think that he did it with a design to impose a tribute upon them for himself, to be put into his treasury, and this by way of poll, so that when he knew their numbers he could tell what it would amount to. But nothing of this appears, nor was David ever a raiser of taxes. (4.) This was the fault, that he had no orders from God to do it, nor was there any occasion for the doing of it. It was a needless trouble both to himself and to his people. (5.) Some think that it was an affront to the ancient promise which God made to Abraham, that his seed should be innumerable as the dust of the earth; it savoured of distrust of that promise, or a design to show that it was not fulfilled in the letter of it. He would number those of whom God had said that they could not be numbered. Those know not what they do that go about to disprove the word of God. (6.) That which was the worst thing in numbering the people was that David did it in the pride of his heart, which was Hezekiah's sin in showing his treasures to the ambassadors. [1.] It was a proud conceit of his own greatness in having the command of so numerous a people, as if their increase, which was to be ascribed purely to the blessing of God, had been owing to any conduct of his own. [2.] It was a proud confidence in his own strength. By publishing among the nations the number of his people, he thought to appear the more formidable, and doubted not that, if he should have any war, he should overpower his enemies with the multitude of his forces, trusting in God only. God judges not of sin as we do. What appears to us harmless, or at least but a small offence, may be a great sin in the eye of God, who sees men's principles, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. But his judgment, we are sure, is according to truth.

2. The spring from which it is here said to arise is yet more strange, v. 1. It is not strange that the anger of the Lord should be kindled against Israel. There was cause enough for it. They were unthankful for the blessings of David's government, and strangely drawn in to take part with Absalom first and afterwards with Sheba. We have reason to think that their peace and plenty made them secure and sensual, and that God was therefore displeased with them. But that, in this displeasure, he should move David to number the people is very strange. We are sure that God is not the author of sin; he tempts no man: we are told (1 Chron. xxi. 1) that Satan provoked David to number Israel. Satan, as an enemy, suggested it for a sin, as he put it into the heart of Judas to betray Christ. God, as righteous Judge, permitted it, with a design, from this sin of David, to take an occasion to punish Israel for other sins, for which he might justly have punished them without this. But, as before he brought a famine upon them for the sin of Saul, so now a pestilence for the sin of David, that princes may from these instances learn, when the judgments of God are abroad, to suspect that their sins are the ground of the controversy, and may therefore repent and reform themselves, which should have a great influence upon national repentance and reformation, and that people may learn to pray for those in authority, that God would keep them from sin, because, if they sin, the kingdom smarts.

II. The opposition which Joab made to these orders. Even he was aware of David's folly and vain-glory in this design. He observed that David gave no reason for it, only, Number the people, that I may know the number of the people; and therefore he endeavored to divert his pride, and in a much more respectful manner than he had before endeavoured to divert his passion upon the death of Absalom; then he spoke rudely and insolently (ch. xix. 5-7), but now as became him: Now the Lord thy God add unto the people a hundred fold, v. 3. There was no occasion to tax them, nor to enlist them, nor to make any distribution of them. They were all easy and happy; and Joab wished both that their number might increase and that the king, though old, might live to see their increase, and have the satisfaction of it. "But why doth my lord the king delight in this thing? What need is there of doing it?" Pauperis est numerare pecus—Leave it to the poor to count their flocks. Especially why should David, who speaks so much of delighting in God and the exercises of devotion, and who, being old, one would think, should have put away childish things, take a pleasure (so he calls it modestly, but he means taking pride) in a thing of this nature? Note, Many things, not in themselves sinful, turn into sin to us by our inordinately delighting in them. Joab was aware of David's vanity herein, but he himself was not. It would be good for us to have a friend that would faithfully admonish us when we say or do any thing proud or vain-glorious, for we often do so and are not ourselves aware of it.

III. The orders executed notwithstanding. The king's word prevailed, v. 4. He would have it done; Joab must not gainsay it, lest he be thought to grudge his time and pains in the king's service. It is an unhappiness to great men to have those about them that will aid them and serve them in that which is evil. Joab, according to order, applied himself with some reluctancy to this unpleasing task, and took the captains of the host to help him. They began in the most distant places, in the east first, on the other side Jordan (v. 5), then they went towards Dan in the north (v. 6), so to Tyre on the east, and thence to Beer-sheba in the south, v. 7. Above nine months were spent in taking this account, a great deal of trouble and amazement were occasioned by it in the country (v. 8), and the sum total was, at length, brought to the king at Jerusalem, v. 9. Whether the numbers answered David's expectation or no we are not told, nor whether the account fed his pride or mortified it. The people were very many, but, it may be, not so many as he thought they were. They had not increased in Canaan as they had in Egypt, nor were much more than double to what they were when they came into Canaan under Joshua, about 400 years before; yet it is an evidence that Canaan was a very fruitful land that so many thousands were maintained within so narrow a compass.

The Numbering of the People Punished. (b. c. 1017.)

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 that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O Lord , take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly. 11 For when David was up in the morning, the word of the Lord came unto the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying, 12 Go and say unto David, Thus saith the Lord , I offer 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 thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days' pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see 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. 16 And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the Lord was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite. 17 And David spake unto the Lord when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house.

We have here David repenting of the sin and yet punished for it, God repenting of the judgment and David thereby made more penitent.

I. Here is David's penitent reflection upon and confession of his sin in numbering the people. While the thing was in doing, during all those nine months, we do not find that David was sensible of his sin, for had he been so he would have countermanded the orders he had given; but, when the account was finished and laid before him, that very night his conscience was awakened, and he felt the pain of it just then when he promised himself the pleasure of it. When he was about to feast on the satisfaction of the number of his people, it was turned into the gall of asps within him; sense of the sin cast a damp upon the joy, v. 10. 1. He was convinced of his sin: His heart smote him before the prophet came to him (I think it should not be read for, v. 11, but and, when David was up, so it is in the original), his conscience showed him the evil of what he had done; now that appeared sin, and exceedingly sinful, which before he saw no harm in. He reflected upon it with great regret and his heart reproached him for it. Note, It is a good thing, when a man has sinned, to have a heart within him to smite him for it; it is a good sign of a principle of grace in the heart, and a good step towards repentance and reformation. 2. He confessed it to God and begged earnestly for the forgiveness of it. (1.) He owned that he had sinned, sinned greatly, though to others it might seem no sin at all, or a very little one. True penitents, whose consciences are tender and well informed, see that evil in sin which others do not see. (2.) He owned that he had done foolishly, very foolishly, because he had done it in the pride of his heart; and it was folly for him to be proud of the numbers of his people, when they were God's people, not his, and, as many as they were, God could soon make them fewer. (3.) He cried to God for pardon: I beseech thee, O Lord! take away the iniquity of thy servant. If we confess our sins, we may pray in faith that God will forgive them, and take away, by pardoning mercy, that iniquity which we cast away by sincere repentance.

II. The just and necessary correction which he suffered for this sin. David had been full of tossings to and fro all night under the sense of his sin, having no rest in his bones because of it, and he arose in the morning expecting to hear of God's displeasure against him for what he had done, or designing to speak with Gad his seer concerning it. Gad is called his seer because he had him always at hand to advise with in the things of God, and made use of him as his confessor and counsellor; but God prevented him, and directed the prophet Gad what to say to him (v. 11), and,

1. Three things are taken for granted, (1.) That David must be corrected for his fault. It is too great a crime, and reflects too much dishonour upon God, to go unpunished, even in David himself. Of the seven things that God hates, pride is the first, Prov. vi. 17. Note, Those who truly repent of their sins, and have them pardoned are yet often made to smart for them in this world. (2.) The punishment must answer to the sin. He was proud of the judgment he must be chastised with for this sin must be such as will make them fewer. Note, What we make the matter of our pride it is just with God to take from us, or embitter to us, and, some way or other, to make the matter of our punishment. (3.) It must be such a punishment as the people must have a large share in, for God's anger was kindled against Israel, v. 1. Though it was David's sin that immediately opened the sluice, the sins of the people all contributed to the deluge.

2. As to the punishment that must be inflicted,

(1.) David is told to choose what rod he will be beaten with, v. 12, 13. His heavenly Father must correct him, but, to show that he does not do it willingly, he gives David leave to make choice whether it shall be by war, famine, or pestilence, three sore judgments, which greatly weaken and diminish a people. God, by putting him thus to his choice, designed, [1.] To humble him the more for his sin, which we would see to be exceedingly sinful when he came to consider each of these judgments as exceedingly dreadful. Or, [2.] To upbraid him with the proud conceit he had of his own sovereignty over Israel. He that is so great a prince begins to think he may have what he will. "Come then," says God, "which wilt thou have of these three things?" Compare Jer. xxxiv. 17, I proclaim a liberty for you, but it is such a liberty as this of David's to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and Jer. xv. 2, Such as are for death to death. Or [3.] To give him some encouragement under the correction, letting him know that God did not cast him out of communion with himself, but that still his secret was with him, and in afflicting him he considered his frame and what he could best bear. Or [4.] That he might the more patiently bear the rod when it was a rod of his own choosing. The prophet bids him advise with himself, and then tell him what answer he should return to him that sent him. Note, Ministers are sent of God to us, and they must give an account of the success of their embassy. It concerns us therefore to consider what answer they shall return from us, that they may give up their account of us with joy.

(2.) He objects only against the judgments of the sword, and, for the other two, he refers the matter to God, but intimates his choice of the pestilence rather (v. 14): I am in a great strait; and well he might be when fear, and the pit, and the snare, were before him, and if he escape one, he must inevitably fall into the other, Jer. xlviii. 43, 44. Note, Sin brings men into straits; wise and good men often distress themselves by their own folly. [1.] He begs that he may not fall into the hand of man. "Whatever comes, let us not flee three months before our enemies;" this would sully all the glory of David's triumphs and give occasion to the enemies of God and Israel to behave themselves proudly. See Deut. xxxii. 26, 27. "Their tender mercies are cruel; and in three months they will do that damage to the nation which many years will not repair." But, [2.] He casts himself upon God: Let us fall now into the hand of the Lord, for his mercies are great. Men are God's hand (so they are called, Ps. xvii. 14, the sword of his sending), yet there are some judgments which come more immediately from his hand than others, as famine and pestilence, and David refers it to God which of these shall be the scourge, and God chooses the shortest, that he may the sooner testify his being reconciled. But some think that David, by these words, intimates his choice of the pestilence. The land had not yet recovered the famine under which it smarted three years upon the Gibeonites' account, and therefore, "Let us not be corrected with that rod, for that also will be the triumph of our neighbours," hence we read of the reproach of famine (Ezek. xxxvi. 30); "but if Israel must be diminished, let it be by the pestilence, for that is falling into the hands of the Lord," who usually inflicted that judgment by the hand of his own immediate servants, the angels, as in the death of the first-born of Egypt. That is a judgment to which David himself, and his own family, lie as open as the meanest subject, but not so either to famine or sword, and therefore David, tenderly conscious of his guilt, chooses that. Sword and famine will devour one as well as another, but, it may be thought, the destroying angel will draw his sword against those who are known to God to be most guilty. This will be of the shortest continuance, and he dreads the thought of lying long under the tokens of God's displeasure. It is a dreadful thing, the apostle says, to fall into the hands of the living God (Heb. x. 31), a fearful thing indeed for sinners that have, by their impenitency, shut themselves out from all hope of his mercy. But David, a penitent, dares cast himself into God's hand, knowing he shall find that his mercies are great. Good men, even when they are under God's frowns, yet will entertain no other than good thoughts of him. Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.

(3.) A pestilence is accordingly sent (v. 15), which, for the extent of it, spread from Dan to Beer-sheba, from one end of the kingdom to the other, which showed it to come immediately from God's hand and not from any natural causes. David has his choice; he suffers by miracle, and not by ordinary means. For the continuance of it, it lasted from morning (this very morning on which it was put to David's choice) to the time appointed that is, to the third day (so Mr. Poole), or only to the evening of the first day, the time appointed for the evening sacrifice, so bishop Patrick and others, who reckon that the pestilence lasted but nine hours, and that, in compassion to David, God shortened the time he had first mentioned. The execution the pestilence did was very severe. There died 70,000 men, that were all well, and sick, and dead, in a few hours. What a great cry, may we suppose, was there now throughout all the land of Israel, as there was in Egypt when the first-born were slain! but that was at midnight, this in the daytime, Ps. xci. 6. See the power of the angels, when God gives them commission, either to save or to destroy. Joab is nine months in passing with his pen, the angel but nine hours in passing with his sword, through all the coasts and corners of the land of Israel. See how easily God can bring down the proudest sinners, and how much we owe daily to the divine patience. David's adultery is punished, for the present, only with the death of one infant, his pride with the death of all those thousands, so much does God hate pride. The number slain amounted to almost half a decimation, 70,000 being about one in twenty. Now, we may suppose, David's flesh trembled for fear of God and he was afraid of his judgments, Ps. cxix. 120.

III. God's gracious relaxation of the judgment, when it began to be inflicted upon Jerusalem (v. 16): The angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem, as if he intended to do greater execution there than any where else, even to destroy it. The country had drunk of the bitter cup, but Jerusalem must drink the dregs. It should seem that was last numbered, and therefore was reserved to be last plagued; perhaps there was more wickedness, especially more pride (and that was the sin now chastised), in Jerusalem than elsewhere, therefore the hand of the destroyer is stretched out upon that; but then the Lord repented him of the evil, changed not his mind, but his way; and said to the destroying angel, It is enough; stay now thy hand, and let mercy rejoice against judgment. Jerusalem shall be spared for the ark's sake, for it is the place God hath chosen to put his name there. See here how ready God is to forgive and how little pleasure he takes in punishing; and let it encourage us to meet him by repentance in the way of his judgments. This was on Mount Moriah. Dr. Lightfoot observes that in the very place where Abraham, by a countermand from heaven, was stayed from slaying his son, this angel, by a like countermand, was stayed from destroying Jerusalem. It is for the sake of the great sacrifice that our forfeited lives are preserved from the destroying angel.

IV. David's renewed repentance for his sin upon this occasion, v. 17. He saw the angel (God opening his eyes for that purpose), saw his sword stretched out to destroy, a flaming sword, saw him ready to sheath it upon the orders given him to stay proceedings; seeing all this, he spoke, not to the angel (he knew better than to address himself to the servant in the presence of the Master, or to give that honour to the creature which is the Creator's due), but to the Lord, and said, Lo, I have sinned. Note, True penitents, the more they perceive of God's sparing pardoning mercy the more humbled they are for sin and the more resolved against it. They shall be ashamed when I am pacified towards them, Ezek. xvi. 63. Observe, 1. How he criminates himself, as if he could never speak ill enough of his own fault: "I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; mine is the crime, and therefore on me be the cross. Let thy hand be against me, and my father's house. I am the sinner, let me be the sufferer;" so willing was he to accept the punishment of his iniquity, though he was worth 10,000 of them. 2. How he intercedes for the people, whose bitter lamentations made his heart to ache, and his ears to tingle: These sheep, what have they done? Done! Why they had done much amiss; it was their sin that provoked God to leave David to himself to do as he did; yet, as becomes a penitent, he is severe upon his own faults, while he extenuates theirs. Most people, when God's judgments are abroad, charge others with being the cause of them, and care not who falls by them, so they can escape. But David's penitent and public spirit was otherwise affected. Let this remind us of the grace of our Lord Jesus, who gave himself for our sins and was willing that God's hand should be against him, that we might escape. The shepherd was smitten that the sheep might be spared.

The Plague Removed. (b. c. 1017.)

18 And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the Lord in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite. 19 And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the Lord commanded. 20 And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground. 21 And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the Lord , that the plague may be stayed from the people. 22 And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood. 23 All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The Lord thy God accept thee. 24 And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 25 And David built there an altar unto the Lord , and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.

Here is, I. A command sent to David to erect an altar in the place where he saw the angel, v. 18. This was to intimate to David, 1. That, upon his repeated submission and humiliation, God was now thoroughly reconciled to him; for, if the Lord had been pleased to kill him, he would not have accepted an offering, and therefore would not have ordered him to build an altar. God's encouraging us to offer to him spiritual sacrifices is a comfortable evidence of his reconciling us to himself. 2. That peace is made between God and sinners by sacrifice, and not otherwise, even by Christ the great propitiation, of whom all the legal sacrifices were types. It is for his sake that the destroying angel is told to stay his hand. 3. That when God's judgments are graciously stayed we ought to acknowledge it with thankfulness to his praise. This altar was to be for thank-offerings. See Isa. xii. 1.

II. The purchase which David made of the ground in order hereunto. It seems the owner was a Jebusite, Araunah by name, proselyted no doubt to the Jewish religion, though by birth a Gentile, and therefore allowed, not only to dwell among the Israelites, but to have a possession of his own in a city, Lev. xxv. 29, 30. The piece of ground was a threshing-floor, a mean place, yet thus dignified—a place of labour, therefore thus dignified. Now,

1. David went in person to the owner, to treat with him. See his justice, that he would not so much as use this place in the present exigence, though the proprietor was an alien, though he himself was a king, and though he had express orders from God to rear an altar there, till he had bought it and paid for it. God hates robbery for burnt-offering. See his humility, how far he was from taking state; though a king, he was now a penitent, and therefore, in token of his self-abasement, he neither sent for Araunah to come to him nor sent another to deal with him, but went himself (v. 19), and, though it looked like a diminution of himself, he lost no honour by it. Araunah, when he saw him, went and bowed himself to the ground before him v. 20. Great men will never be the less respected for their humility, but the more.

2. Araunah, when he understood his business (v. 21), generously offered him, not only the ground to build his altar on, but oxen for sacrifices, and other things that might be of use to him in the service (v. 22), and all this gratis, and a good prayer into the bargain: The Lord thy God accept thee! This he did, (1.) Because he had a generous spirit with a great estate. He gave as a king (v. 23); though an ordinary subject, he had the spirit of a prince. In the Hebrew it is, He gave, even the king to the king, whence it is supposed that Araunah had been king of the Jebusites in that place, or was descended from their royal family, though now a tributary to David. (2.) Because he highly esteemed David, though his conqueror, upon the score of his personal merits, and never thought he could do too much to oblige him. (3.) Because he had an affection for Israel, and earnestly desired that the plague might be stayed; and the honour of its being stayed at his threshing-floor, he would account a valuable consideration for all he now tendered to David. 3. David resolved to pay the full value of it, and did so, v. 24. Here were two generous souls well met. Araunah is very willing to give; but David is determined to buy, and for a good reason: he will not offer that to God which costs him nothing. He would not take advantage of the pious Jebusite's generosity. He thanked him, no doubt, for his kind offer, but paid him fifty shekels of silver for the floor and the oxen for the present service, and afterwards 600 shekels of gold for the ground adjoining, to build the temple on. Note, Those know not what religion is whose chief care it is to make it cheap and easy to themselves, and who are best pleased with that which costs them least pains or money. What have we our substance for but to honour God with it? and how can it be better bestowed?

III. The building of the altar, and the offering of the proper sacrifices upon it (v. 25), burnt-offerings to the glory of God's justice in the execution that had been done, and peace-offerings to the glory of his mercy in the seasonable staying of the process. Hereupon God showed (it is supposed by fire from heaven consuming the sacrifices) that he was entreated for the land, and that it was in mercy that the plague was removed and in token of God's being reconciled both to prince and people. Christ is our altar, our sacrifice; in him alone we may expect to find favour with God, to escape his wrath, and the sword, the flaming sword, of the cherubim who keep the way of the tree of life.