2Sa 24:1 And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.
the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel - This sentence is the heading of the whole chapter, which goes on to describe the sin which kindled this anger, namely, the numbering of the people 1Ch_21:7-8; 1Ch_27:24. There is no note of time, except that the word “again” shows that these events happened “after” those of 2 Sam. 21.
And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel - It had been kindled, and appeared before in sending a three years' famine among them for Saul's ill usage of the Gibeonites, 2Sa_21:1; and now it broke forth again. The kindling of the wrath of God against Israel again presupposes guilt on the part of the nation, the specifics of which are not mentioned here. 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.
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 (1Ch_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. 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.
he moved David against them - not the Lord, but Satan, as may be supplied from 1Ch_21:1; or the heart of David, that is, the evil imagination of his heart; the Lord left him to the corruption of his nature; which wrought powerfully in him, and stirred him up to take a step contrary to the interest of Israel.
he moved David against them - God, though He cannot tempt any man (Jam_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.
2Sa 24:2 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.
For the king said to Joab - In the parallel passage in 1Ch_21:2, other rulers of the people are mentioned along with Joab.
from Dan even to Beersheba - from the northern part of the land of Israel to the southern part of it.
number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people - so that this appears to be done not through any urgent necessity, but merely out of curiosity, and to gratify the pride of his heart, and please himself with the thought of ruling such a numerous people, and brag of their numbers to other nations, and place his confidence therein; and no wonder it was displeasing to the Lord.
2Sa 24:3 And Joab said unto the king, Now the LORD thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing?
Joab said unto the king - This man of questionable character 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.
now the Lord thy God add unto the people an hundredfold - he wished his subjects were an hundred times more numerous than they were:
that the eyes of my lord the king may see it - that he might live to see with his own eyes so great an increase:
2Sa 24:4 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.
Joab and the captains of the host went out to number the people of Israel - seeing the king resolute and determined, they submitted, took his orders, and set out to execute them.
2Sa 24:5 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:
And they passed over Jordan - To take the number of the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh first:
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.
And pitched in Aroer - This was beyond Jordan, on the river Arnon, in the tribe of Gad: hence it appears, says one scholar, that they began their census with the most eastern parts of the country beyond Jordan. Aroer was a city given to the tribe of Gad, and rebuilt by them, Num_32:34.
on the right side of the city - that is, of Aroer, the south side of it.
that lieth in the midst of the river of Gad - which was the river Arnon, so called now from the tribe of Gad, which possessed it; for in the midst of the river Arnon Aroer lay, Jos_13:9 from Aroer on the bank of the river Arnon, and the city in the midst of the river, and all the plain of Medeba, to Dibon;
2Sa 24:6 Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtimhodshi; and they came to Danjaan, and about to Zidon,
To Gilead - Jazer was in the plain. They passed from there to the mountain district of Gilead. The land of Gilead, half of which was given to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the other half to the half tribe of Manasseh, Deu_3:12.
Tahtim-hodshi - Where this place was is not exactly known. Some say it is “the land lately acquired”; namely, that of the Hagarites conquered by Saul (1Ch_5:10).
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.
round to Sidon - the extreme north-western boundary of the kingdom.
2Sa 24:7 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 Beersheba.
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. This must be understood of the parts near to it; for that city itself was not within the land of Israel, and so its inhabitants not to be numbered:
The cities of the Hivites - Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim, and perhaps Shechem, besides those at the foot of Hermon and Lebanon, the names of which are not known.
cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites - which were possessed by them, and from whence they were not driven out by the Israelites; to all places contiguous to them, Joab and his captains came to take the number of them:
they went out to the south of Judah - even to Beersheba; passing through the western part of the land, they came to the southern part of it, even as far as Beersheba, which was the extreme part of the land to the south.
2Sa 24:8 So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.
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 1Ch_21:6 But Levi and Benjamin he did not count among them; for the king's word was evil to Joab. 1Ch_27:24 Joab the son of Zeruiah began to number, but he did not finish because wrath fell against the sons of Israel for this. And the number did not go up in the account of the chronicles of King David.
they had gone through all the land - Beginning at the east, and from thence to the north, and then going about to the west, came to the south, which finished their circuit.
2Sa 24:9 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.
Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people – Here they number eight hundred thousand and five hundred thousand. In Chronicles the numbers are differently given. 1 Chronicles 21: 5 And Joab gave the sum of the census of the people to David. And in all Israel there were one million and a hundred thousand men who drew sword. And in Judah were four hundred and seventy thousand men who drew sword. It is also stated in 1Ch_21:6, that Joab purposely omitted Levi and Benjamin from the reckoning. It is probable therefore that the Chronicler has included in his statement of the sum total some numbers which are not included here. Perhaps the difference in the two texts arose chiefly from the fact that the statements were merely founded upon oral tradition, since, according to 1Ch_27:24, the result of the census was not inserted in the annals of the kingdom. 1Ch_27:24 Joab the son of Zeruiah began to number, but he did not finish because wrath fell against the sons of Israel for this. And the number did not go up in the account of the chronicles of King David.
2Sa 24:10 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.
I have sinned greatly – he saw and owned his sin to be exceeding sinful. We do not know exactly what this sin consisted of.
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.
And David's heart smote him - For nine or ten months his conscience lay asleep, but now the thing was done, it is awakened, and accuses him for it, and he repents of it; now he began to see the pride and haughtiness of his heart; without seeking to know the mind of God
2Sa 24:11 For when David was up in the morning, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,
For when David was up - Which it is probable was very early, he not being able to sleep through the distress of mind he was in; it was in the night he had been under the conviction of his sin, and had acknowledged it, and prayed for the pardon of it; upon which the prophet was sent to acquaint him what was the will of God concerning him:
David’s seer - A holy man of God, under the Divine influence, whom David had as a domestic chaplain. David used to advise about the will of God on various occasions, though in this he had neglected to consult him.
2Sa 24:12 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.
say unto David - Not my servant David, as Nathan was bid to say to him when it was in his heart to build an house for him, 2Sa_7:5; but now he had sinned and displeased the Lord, and therefore it is only plain David.
2Sa 24:13 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.
Shall seven years of famine - The “seven” years of famine correspond with the “seven” years of famine in Gen_41:27, Gen_41:30, and with the same number of years in 2Ki_8:1. But in Chronicles and the Septuagint, it is “three years,” which agrees better with the “three” months and “three” days. The whole passage is amplified in Chronicles. 1Ch_21:12 either three years of famine, or three months to be swept away before your foes, while the sword of your enemies overtake you, or else three days of the sword of the LORD, even the plague in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the border of Israel. And now say what word I shall bring again to Him who sent me. 2Sa 24:13 And Gad went in to David, and told him, and said to him, Choose [one of these things] to befall thee, whether there shall come upon thee [for] three years famine in thy land; or that thou shouldest flee three months before thine enemies, and they should pursue thee; or that there should be [for] three days mortality in thy land. Now then decide, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me. (Septuagint)
So Gad came to David, and told him - Said nothing to him about his sin, but correction for it; which confirms it that David was made sensible of his sin before he came to him:
or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies - be in such a condition as not to be able to face or fight his enemies, or, if he did, would not be able to stand his ground, but be forced to flee before them; during which time a number might well be thought to be slain, sad devastations made in the land, and great shame and disgrace endured, and what a man of David's spirit could not bear the thoughts of.
or that there be three days' pestilence in thy land - which in 1Ch_21:12 is called "the sword of the Lord", in distinction from the sword of man.
2Sa 24:14 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.
Let us fall into the hand of the Lord - Thus David chose the third judgment, since pestilence comes directly from God. On the other hand, in flight from the enemy, he would have fallen into the hands of men. In famine they must have gone into other countries for food.
Let us fall now into the hand of the Lord —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 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 Beersheba seventy thousand men.
From the morning until 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.
Seventy thousand - It is the most destructive plague recorded as having fallen upon the Israelites. In the plague that followed the rebellion of Korah there died 14,700 Num_16:49; in the plague, on account of Baal-Peor, 24,000 Num_25:9; 1Co_10:8. David's sin may be read in the punishment of it; his heart was lifted up by the numbers of his people, and now it must be humbled by the lessening of them.
So the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel - Upon the land of Israel, the people of the land, directly employing an angel to go through the coasts of it, and empowering him to inflict a pestilential disease: The pestilence burst upon the people in this instance with supernatural strength and violence, that it might be seen at once to be a direct judgment from God.
2Sa 24:16 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.
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 to David 2Sa_24:17 And David spoke to the LORD when he saw the angel who struck the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? I pray You, let Your hand be against me and against my father's house. and to Ornan and his four sons 1Ch_21:20 And Ornan turned back and saw the angel. And his four sons with him hid themselves. And Ornan was threshing wheat.
The threshing-place of Araunah - These threshing-places were made in the open air. In the parallel place in 1Ch_21, this person is called Ornan. This threshingfloor was on Mount Moriah, 2Ch_3:1 And Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in Mount Moriah, where He appeared to David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem - it was perhaps the last place where the people were numbered and it was the last to which the plague came: this angel appeared in an human form, standing "between the earth and the heaven"; in the midst of the heaven, in the air, right over Jerusalem: "having a drawn sword in his hand stretched over the city"; as is said in 1Ch_21:16; which was done as a menace, and to inject terror into David and the inhabitants of the city, and to give them notice of what they must expect: The visible appearance of the angel was to exclude every thought of a natural land plague.
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.
2Sa 24:17 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.
Against my father’s house - That is, against his own family; even to cut it off from the face of the earth.
let thine hand be against me, and against my father's house - let me and mine die, and not they; a type of Christ, the good Shepherd, willing to lay down his life for the sheep, and suffer in their stead, that they might go free.
these sheep, what have they done - he looked upon himself as the only transgressor, and his people as innocent, and as harmless as sheep; he thought of no sins but his own; these were uppermost in his mind, and lay heavy on his conscience; and it grieved him extremely the his people should suffer on his account: but they were not so innocent as he thought and suggests; and it was not only for his, but their sins, this evil came; he was suffered to do what he did, to bring upon them deserved punishment for their rebellion against him, and other sins; however, this shows the high opinion he had of them, the great affection he had for them, and his sympathy with them in this time of distress:
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.
2Sa 24:18 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.
Go up, rear an altar unto the Lord - This place is supposed to be Mount Moriah: on which, according to the Jewish rabbis, Cain and Abel offered their sacrifices; where Abraham attempted to sacrifice Isaac, and where the temple of Solomon was afterwards built.
Go up, rear an altar unto the Lord - David was to build the altar and offer burnt-offerings and supplicatory-offerings upon it, to appease the wrath of Jehovah. The plague would then be averted from Israel.
2Sa 24:19 And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded.
2Sa 24:20 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.
And Araunah looked - Peeped up out of the place in which he had hid himself with his four sons, for fear of the angel, and which they saw, 1Ch_21:20.
2Sa 24:21 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.
2Sa 24:22 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.
Here be oxen - Those, namely, which were at that very time threshing out the grain in Araunah’s threshing-floor 1Ch_21:20; Deu_25:4. 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.
Threshing-instruments - This was a kind of sledge with iron teeth Isa_41:15. It was drawn by two or four oxen over the grain on the floor.
Other instruments of the oxen - the harness of the oxen, of which the yoke, and perhaps some other parts, would be made of wood.
2Sa 24:23 All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee.
As a king, give unto the king – Araunah was not a king, however it has been supposed that he was of royal descent from the Jebusites that formerly lived here. Perhaps it speaks only of the attitude in which he offered these things to David.
As a king, 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.
2Sa 24:24 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.
fifty shekels of silver - The sum mentioned here, fifty shekels of silver, 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.
Fifty shekels of silver - In Chronicles, “six hundred shekels of gold by weight.” 1 Chronicles 21:24-25 And King David said to Ornan, No, but I will truly buy it for the full silver. For I will not take what is yours for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings without cost. And David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight. In explanation, it is supposed - that the fifty shekels here mentioned were gold shekels, each worth twelve silver shekels, so that the fifty gold shekels are equal to the 600 silver; that our text should be rendered, “David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for money,” namely, “fifty shekels;” and that the passage in Chronicles should be rendered, “David qave to Ornan gold shekels of the value” (or weight) “of 600 shekels.” What is certain is that our text represents the fifty shekels as the price of the threshing-floor and the oxen.
fifty shekels of silver - In 1Ch_21:25, David is said to give six hundred shekels of gold by weight The Septuagint of 1Ch_21:25 has fifty shekels. Two ways are proposed by the Jews for the reconciling of the difficulty; the one is, that fifty shekels were collected out of every tribe, and twelve times fifty make six hundred shekels, and these were of the value or weight of gold; but this seems not likely, that it should be collected out of all the tribes, and since it appears plainly to be the king's purchase, and with his money: the other is, that there were two purchases, the first was of the threshingfloor, oxen, and instruments, which were bought for fifty shekels of silver, as here, and the other was a purchase of the place, as it is called in the book of Chronicles; that large space of ground on which afterwards the temple, and all the courts adjoining to it, were built, and which was now Araunah's farm, and on which were his dwelling house, and other buildings; and for all this David gave him six hundred shekels of gold.
Neither will I offer burnt-offerings - 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.
2Sa 24:25 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.
Events found in 1 Chronicles 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29 are not in this book. The story of David’s life and kingship end at this point in 2 Samuel, with one chapter in 1 Kings. A few things relative to this history may be found in the beginning of 1 Kings; but the information in 1 Chronicles is much more extensive.
offered burnt offerings and peace offerings - the one to expiate the sin or sins committed, the other to give thanks for the intimation given, that the plague would be stayed upon this:
David offered burnt-offerings - And that these sacrifices were pleasing to the Lord, is evident from a circumstance marked in the parallel place, 1Ch_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.
so the Lord was entreated for the land - was pacified and prevailed upon to remove the pestilence from it; which was signified by fire descending upon the altar of burnt offering, which showed the sacrifice was accepted, and by the angel being ordered to put his sword into its sheath, 1Ch_21:26.
