XXI. _The census, and consequent plague. The hallowing of the Temple area._ Omitting the magnificent ode which David sang to his deliverer (2 Samuel 22), and the last words of David (2 Samuel 23:1), as well as the list of David’s heroes (2 Samuel 23:8), which has already been repeated in 1 Chronicle... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SATAN STOOD UP AGAINST ISRAEL. — Perhaps, _And an adversary_ (hostile influence) _arose against Israel._ So in 2 Samuel 19:23 the sons of Zeruiah are called “adversaries” (Heb., a _Satan_) to David. (Comp. 1 Kings 11:14; 1 Kings 11:25.) When _the_ adversary, the enemy of mankind, is meant, the w... [ Continue Reading ]
(1-6) The Census.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND TO THE RULERS (captains) OF THE PEOPLE. — Omitted in Samuel, which reads, “Joab, the captain of the host, who was with him.” The “captains of the host” are, however, associated in the work of the census with Joab (2 Samuel 24:4). The fact that Joab and his staff were deputed to take the census s... [ Continue Reading ]
ANSWERED. — Hebrew, _said._ THE LORD... AS THEY BE. — Literally, _Jehovah add upon his people like them an hundred times,_ an abridged form of what is read in Samuel. BUT, MY LORD THE KING, ARE THEY NOT ...? — Instead of this, Samuel records another wish, “And may the eyes of my lord the king be... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE JOAB DEPARTED. — “Went out” _scil,_ from the king’s presence (Samuel). The chronicler omits the account of the route of Joab and his party, as described in 2 Samuel 24:4. They crossed Jordan, and went to Aroer, Jazer, Gilead, and Dan; then round to Zidon, “the fortress of Tyre, and all the... [ Continue Reading ]
THE NUMBER. — _Muster,_ or census (_miphqăd_). The first clause is identical with Samuel, but has “David” for “the king,” as elsewhere. AND ALL THEY OF ISRAEL. — _And all Israel became_ (came to). The numbers are different in Samuel, which states them as 800,000 for Israel and 500,000 for Judah. The... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT LEVI ... — This verse is wanting in Samuel, but it probably existed in the original source. There is nothing in the style to suggest a later hand; while the word “counted” (_pâqad_)_,_ which has not been used before in this chapter, occurs twice in the parallel passage (2 Samuel 24:2; 2 Samuel 2... [ Continue Reading ]
AND GOD WAS DISPLEASED. — This verse also is not read in Samuel, which has instead, “And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people.” The peculiarities of expression in Samuel suggest textual corruption. The chronicler’s verse is a sort of general heading, or anticipative summary,... [ Continue Reading ]
(7-13) The Divine wrath, declared by Gad the seer.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND DAVID SAID. — This verse is verbatim the same with its parallel, save that it makes the characteristic substitution of “God” for “Jehovah,” and adds the explanatory phrase “this thing” in the first half, and in the second omits the Divine Name altogether. DO AWAY. — _Cause to pass over,_ and so... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD (Jehovah) SPAKE UNTO GAD. — Samuel, “And David arose in the morning. Now a word of Jehovah had come to Gad the prophet, a seer of David, saying — “ This appears to be more original than our text. DAVID’S SEER. — Better, _a seer of David’s,_ for the same title is applied to Heman (1 Chr... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse, again, nearly coincides with the parallel in Samuel. The variations look like corrections and explanatory or paraphrastic substitutions. Thus the word “go is here imperative, instead of the less usual infinitive; “saving” is added by way of clearness; the easier phrase, “I offer thee” (_... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAID UNTO HIM. — Samuel has the pleonastic, “And told him, and said,” &c. The following curse from the Annals of Tiglath Pileser I. (circ. 1120 B.C.) well illustrates the three penalties proposed by God to David: “May Assur and Anum, the great gods my lords, mightily rebuke him and curse him wi... [ Continue Reading ]
THREE YEARS’ FAMINE. — This appears correct, as harmonising with the three months and three days of the other visitations. Samuel has the reading “seven,” which perhaps originated in some scribe’s memory of the famine described in Genesis 41:30, _sqq._ TO BE DESTROYED. — Samuel has, “thy flying,” a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND DAVID SAID. — Almost identical with Samuel. “Let me fall” looks like an improvement of Samuel, “Let us fall.” The word “very” (not in Sam.) is perhaps an accidental repetition from the Hebrew of _I am in a great strait._ LET ME NOT FALL. — Samuel has a precative form of the same verb (’_eppôlâh... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THE LORD SENT PESTILENCE UPON ISRAEL. — So Samuel. The rest of our verse is abridged. From Samuel we learn that the plague raged throughout the land from dawn to the time of the evening sacrifice.... [ Continue Reading ]
(14-17) The Pestilence.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND GOD SENT AN ANGEL UNTO JERUSALEM TO DESTROY IT. — The reading of Samuel is probably right, “And the angel stretched out his hand towards Jerusalem, to destroy it.” The verb is the same word in each, and the word “God” in our text is substituted for “Jehovah,” which, again, is a misreading of par... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse is not read in Samuel, which, however, mentions the essential fact that David “saw the angel that smote the people” (2 Samuel 24:17). There is nothing in the style to suggest suspicion of a later hand; and it is as likely that the compiler of Samuel has abridged the original account as th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND DAVID SAID UNTO GOD. — Sam., “Jehovah.” Samuel adds, “when he saw the angel that smote the people” (see our 1 Chronicles 21:16); “and he said.” IS IT NOT I THAT COMMANDED THE PEOPLE TO BE NUMBERED? — Literally, _to number the people._ In Samuel these words are wanting. They may have been added... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THE ANGEL OF THE LORD COMMANDED GAD TO SAY TO DAVID. — Rather, _Now the angel had told Gad to tell David._ In Samuel, the mediation of the angel is not mentioned. There we read, “And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up,” &c. No doubt it is only in the later prophetical books of... [ Continue Reading ]
(18-27) The purchase of Ornan’s threshingfloor as a place of sacrifice.... [ Continue Reading ]
AT THE SAYING. — Samuel, “according to.” The difference is only that of the “one tittle,” or small projection, of a letter, mentioned in Matthew 5:18. WHICH HE SPAKE IN THE NAME OF THE LORD. — Samuel reads, “as the Lord commanded.” The variation is merely verbal.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ORNAN TURNED BACK (_RETURNED_)_,_ AND SAW THE ANGEL; AND HIS FOUR SONS WITH HIM HID THEMSELVES (_were hiding_). There can be little doubt that this is corrupt, and that the text of Samuel is right, “And Araunah looked up, and saw the king and his servants passing by him.” The LXX. here has “Orna... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AS DAVID CAME TO ORNAN, ORNAN LOOKED AND SAW DAVID. — This is wanting in Samuel. The corruption of the previous verse made some such statement necessary here. The rest of the verse nearly corresponds with 2 Samuel 24:20.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN (_and_) DAVID SAID TO OMAN, GRANT ME THE PLACE OF THIS THRESHINGFLOOR, THAT I MAY BUILD. — Literally, _Pray give me the place of the threshingfloor._ Samuel, “And Araunah said Why is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To purchase from thee the threshingfloor, to build,” &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE IT TO THEE. — Comp. Genesis 23:11. LET MY LORD THE KING DO. — Samuel, “offer.” In the Hebrew only one letter is different; and the word “do” may have the meaning “offer,” as in Greek (Comp. Exodus 29:38.) I GIVE THEE. — Not in Samuel; an exegetical addition. FOR BURNT OFFERINGS. — _For the b... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE FULL PRICE. — Samuel simply, “At a price” (different word). The next clause does not appear in Samuel, but may well be original. NOR OFFER BURNT OFFERINGS WITHOUT COST. — So Samuel: “Nor will I offer to the Lord my God burnt offerings without cost.” It was of the essence of sacrifice to sur... [ Continue Reading ]
SO DAVID GAVE TO OMAN FOR THE PLACE SIX HUNDRED SHEKELS OF GOLD BY WEIGHT. — Literally, _shekels of gold_ — _a weight of six hundred._ Samuel has, “And David purchased the threshingfloor and the oxen for silver, fifty shekels.” The two estimates are obviously discordant. We have no means of calculat... [ Continue Reading ]
AND DAVID BUILT... PEACE OFFERINGS. — Word for word as in Samuel. AND CALLED UPON THE LORD. — Not in Samuel, where the narrative ends with the words, “And the Lord was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.” FROM HEAVEN BY FIRE (_with the fire from the heavens_). — The Divi... [ Continue Reading ]
HE PUT UP ... — It seems hardly fair to call this verse a “figurative or poetical expression for the cessation of the plague.” In 1 Chronicles 21:16 David _sees_ the angel with drawn sword; and the older text (2 Samuel 24:16) equally makes the angel a “real concrete being,” and _not_ a “personificat... [ Continue Reading ]
AT THAT TIME WHEN DAVID SAW ... — The use of Ornan’s threshingfloor as a place of sacrifice was continued from the time of the cessation of the pestilence. The words “then he sacrificed there” refer to this fact. The answer by fire from heaven (1 Chronicles 21:26) was an unmistakable intimation of t... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE TABERNACLE. — _Now the dwelling-place of Jehovah:_ in contrast with Oman’s threshingfloor, the new sanctuary.... [ Continue Reading ]
A parenthesis, relating why it was that David did not rather resort to the ancient Tabernacle, which then stood at Gibeon. (Comp. 1 Chronicles 16:39.)... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT (and) DAVID COULD NOT GO BEFORE IT — _i.e.,_ the Tabernacle at Gibeon and the altar of burnt offering (1 Chronicles 16:4; 1 Chronicles 16:37; 1 Chronicles 16:39). TO ENQUIRE OF GOD. — To _seek Him,_ that is, to seek His favour by sacrifice and prayer. (But comp. 1 Chronicles 13:3; 1 Chronicles... [ Continue Reading ]