Matthew Poole and continuators on 1 Chronicles 21

1 ANd Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

Heb. stood, to wit, before the Lord and his Tribunal to accuse David and Israel, and to beg Gods permission to tempt David to number the People. Standing is the Accusers posture before Mens Tribunals; and consequently the Holy Scripture (which useth to speak of God and of the things of God after the manner of men to bring them down to our Capacities) elsewhere represents Satan in this posture, as 1 King. 22. 21. Zech. 3. 1. And so this agrees with 2 Sam. 24. 1. where the Lord is said to move David, i. e. to give Satan Commission or Permission to move him; for otherwise God tempteth no man, Jam. 1. 13. But of this, and of this whole Chapter, and of the Variations and seeming Contradictions between this Narrative and that in Samuel, see my Notes on 2 Sam. 24.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1+ letters] Sam 24. 1, [illegible: 1+ letters]; [illegible: 1 word], [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] ▪ [illegible: 1 word] 22. [illegible: 1 word].

3 And Joab answered, The LORD make his people an hundred times as many mo as they be: but my lord the king, are they not all my lords servants, why then doth my lord require this thing! why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel .

Or, why will he be, or, why should this be a trespass or a cause of trespass or an occasion of punishment, (for Hebrew words signifying sin are oft used to note the punishment of Sin:) or a desolation, or a cause of desolation or destruction (for the verb whence this noun proceeds is oft used in that Sense) to or against Israel? Why wilst thou provoke God by this sin to punish Israel? Thus he speaks because God commonly punisheth the People for the sins of their Rulers, because they are for the most part guilty of their sins in one kind or other; or at least God takes this occasion to punish People for all their Sins.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1+ letters] tres [illegible: 1+ letters] & Gr.

6 But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them ; for the kings word was abominable to Joab.

Partly for the following Reason; and principally by Gods special and gracious Providence to these two Tribes, to Levi, because they were devoted to his Service; and to Benjamin, because they were the least of all the Tribes having been almost extinct, Iudg. 21. and because God foresaw that they would be faithful to the House of David in the division of the Tribes, and therefore he would not have them diminished. And Ioab presumed to leave these two Tribes unnumbred, because he had specious Pretences for it; for Levi, because they were no Warriours, and the Kings Command reached onely to those that drew sword, as appears from v. 5. And for Benjamin, because they, being so small a Tribe and bordering upon Ierusalem their Chief City, might easily be numbred afterward.

7 And God was displeased with this thing , therefore he smote Israel .

Because this was done without any colour of necessity, and out of meer Curiosity, and Oftentation, and carnal Confidence, as Davids own Conscience told him, which therefore smote him, as it is related, 2 Sam. 24. 10.

Which is particularly related in the following verses.

Marginal references: Heb. and it was evil in the eyes of the LORD concernning this thing.

16 And David lift up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem: then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth , fell upon their faces.

i. e. In mourning Garments, humbling themselves before God for their Sins and deprecating his Wrath against the People.

20 And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons with him hid themselves . Now Ornan was threshing wheat.

Or, And Ornan turned back (i. e. turned his face from the Angel) for or when (for the Hebrew vau is frequently used both those ways) he saw the angel, and (so did) his four sons with him hiding themselves; partly because of the Glory and Majesty in which the Angel appeared, which mens weak and sinful natures are not able to bear; and partly from the fear of Gods Vengeance which was at this time riding circuit in the Land, and now seemed to be coming to their Family.

Marginal references: Or, when Or[illegible: 1+ letters] nan turned back and saw the angel, then he and his four sons with him hid themselves.

26 And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt-offerings, and peaceofferings, and called upon the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt▪offering.

Heb. by fire sent from Heaven: which was the sign of Gods Acceptance. See Levit. 9. 24. 1 King. 18. 24, 38. 2 Chron. 7. 1.

28 At that time, when David saw that the LORD had answered him in the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there .

When he perceived that his Sacrifice there offered was acceptable to God, he proceeded to offer more Sacrifices in that place, and did not go to Gibeon, as otherwise he should have done.

30 But David could not go before it to enquire of God ; for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the LORD .

i. e. Durst not.

i. e. Before the Tabernacle, where the Altar stood.

Heb. to seek God, i. e. humbly to beg his Favour by Prayer and Sacrifice.

i. e. When he saw the Angel stand with his drawn Sword over Ierusalem, as is related above, v. 15, 16. he durst not go away thence to Gibeon, lest the Angel in the mean time should destroy Ierusalem; for the prevention whereof he thought it most proper to continue to worship God in that place, which he had consecrated by his special Presence and gracious Acceptance.