_A.M. 2987. B.C. 1017._
David numbers the people, 2 Samuel 24:1. His repentance and
punishment, 2 Samuel 24:10. The plague stayed, 2 Samuel 24:16; 2
Samuel 24:17. He erects an altar and sacrificeth, 2 Samuel 24:18.... [ Continue Reading ]
_And again_ After the former tokens of his anger, such as the three
years' famine, mentioned chap. 21. _The anger of the Lord was kindled
against Israel_ For their sins, and on account of the following action
of David. The anger of the Lord, it must be well observed, was not the
cause of David's sin... [ Continue Reading ]
_From Dan even to Beer-sheba_ From one end of the country to the
other. For Dan was the utmost bound of it in the north, and Beer-sheba
in the south. _That I may know the number of the people_ This
expression shows David's sin in this matter, that he numbered them,
not by direction from God, but out... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Joab said, Now the Lord thy God add unto the people,_ &c. Thus we
see that this action of David was thought a very wrong step, even by
Joab himself, who remonstrated against it, as apprehensive of the bad
consequences that might attend it: and therefore Joab _counted not
Levi and Benjamin_, (1... [ Continue Reading ]
_They passed over Jordan_ They went first into the eastern part of the
country, and so by the northern coasts to the west, and then to the
south. _And pitched in Aroer_ These words seem to import, that they
pitched their tents in the field, and thither summoned the
neighbouring towns to come unto th... [ Continue Reading ]
_When they had gone through all the land_ But not numbered all the
people, for the work grew so tedious that they omitted Levi and
Benjamin. _Joab gave up the number of the people_ There are two
returns left us of this numbering, (one here and the other 1
Chronicles 21,) which differ considerably fr... [ Continue Reading ]
_David's heart smote him_ His conscience discerned his sin, and he was
heartily sorry for it. That heart, which was so lately dilated with
vanity, now shrunk into contrition and penitence. _O Lord, take away
the iniquity of thy servant_ Or, _the punishment of mine iniquity._
Since he condemned himse... [ Continue Reading ]
_For when David was up in the morning_ The words thus translated give
the reader to apprehend that David's penitence was caused by Gad's
threat, which certainly was not the case. He was made sensible of his
sin and made sorry for it before Gad came to him. They should here be
rendered, _And when Dav... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let us fall now into the hand of the Lord_ Let us receive punishment
from his immediate stroke, that is, by famine or pestilence, but
chiefly by the latter. For though the sword and the famine be also
from God's hand, yet there is also the hand of man, or other
creatures, in them. The reason of thi... [ Continue Reading ]
_So the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel_ The event immediately
answered to the choice; a plague instantly ensued. _From the morning
even to the time appointed_ From that morning, in which Gad came to
David, to the third day, the time appointed by God for the continuance
of the plague. But not to... [ Continue Reading ]
_The angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem_ Which he had begun
to smite, and in which he was proceeding to make a far greater
slaughter. This angel appeared in the shape of a man, with a sword
drawn in his hand, to convince the people more fully that this was no
natural plague, but one inflict... [ Continue Reading ]
_These sheep, what have they done?_ What? They have done many things
amiss. Their rebellions and other vices had been many, and it was for
their own sins, as well as for David's, that this heavy judgment now
befell them. The king, however, as became a penitent, is severe on his
own faults, while he... [ Continue Reading ]
_Gad came that day to David_ By the express command of God, (2 Samuel
24:19; 1 Chronicles 21:18,) _and said unto him, Go up_ To mount
Moriah; _rear an altar in the thrashing-floor of Araunah_ Which place
God appointed for this work, in gracious condescension to, and
compliance with, David's fear of... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wherefore is my lord the king come?_ Wherefore doth the king do me
this honour, and give himself the trouble of coming to me? _Behold,
here be the oxen_ Which were employed by him in his present work of
thrashing. _And instruments of the oxen_ Their yokes, and the
instruments which they drew after... [ Continue Reading ]
_All these things did Araunah as a king_ That is, with a royal bounty;
_give unto the king_ He not only offered, but actually gave them; he
resigned his right and property in them to David; though David, by his
refusal, returned it to Araunah again. The words in the Hebrew are,
_these things gave Ar... [ Continue Reading ]
_Neither will I offer that which doth cost me nothing_ For this would
be both dishonourable to God, as if I thought him not worthy of a
costly sacrifice, and a disparagement to myself, as if I were unable
or unwilling to offer a sacrifice of my own goods. _David bought the
thrashing-floor, &c., for... [ Continue Reading ]
_David offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings_ Burnt- offerings
were, in effect, prayers to God, that he would remove this plague and
peace-offerings were acknowledgments of God's goodness, who had
already given David hopes of this mercy. Delaney supposes that the
ninety- first Psalm was writte... [ Continue Reading ]