XXIV. This chapter contains the account of David’s sin in numbering the people, and the punishment in consequence. The same narrative is found in 1 Chronicles 21, but with such considerable variations as to show that neither can have been taken from the other, but both must have been drawn from the... [ Continue Reading ]
KINDLED AGAINST ISRAEL. — This was not in consequence of the numbering of the people, but in consequence of that which ultimately led to that act. We are not told why the anger of the Lord was kindled, but doubtless because He saw both in king and people that rising spirit of earthly pride and relia... [ Continue Reading ]
WHY DOTH MY LORD? — Even in the eyes of the unscrupulous Joab David’s act was abominable. Joab never gives evidence of being influenced by religious motives, but his natural shrewdness sufficed to show him that David’s act was at variance with the fundamental principle of the national existence. Chr... [ Continue Reading ]
PITCHED IN AROER. — The census began on the east of Jordan, at the extreme south, thence passed northwards through the eastern tribes, and crossing the Jordan, passed southwards through the western tribes. Aroer is the city described in Deuteronomy 2:36; Joshua 13:16 as on the river Arnon, at the ex... [ Continue Reading ]
LAND OF TAHTIM-HODSHI. — This unknown and strange name, of which the ancient versions make nothing, is generally considered as a corruption. The most probable conjecture is that for “Tahtim” we should read “Hittites” (a change of only a single letter), and that “Hodshi” is the remnant of an expressi... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THE HIVITES, AND OF THE CANAANITES. — The remnants of the original inhabitants appear still to have occupied distinct towns by themselves. The “Hivites” were chiefly in the northern part of the land, though Gibeon and its towns had belonged to them. “The Canaanites” is a general name for the remn... [ Continue Reading ]
IN ISRAEL EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND. — The numbers here differ greatly from those given in 1 Chronicles 21:5; but there is no reason to suppose any corruption of the text in either case. Joab undertook the work unwillingly, and performed it imperfectly. According to 1 Chronicles 21:6 he refused altoget... [ Continue Reading ]
DAVID’S HEART SMOTE HIM. — This time David’s own conscience was awakened, without the necessity of being roused, as in the case of Uriah, by the visit of a prophet. He confesses his sin, and prays for pardon. Still it must be remembered that ten months had passed (2 Samuel 24:8) before David saw his... [ Continue Reading ]
(1l) FOR WHEN DAVID. — Read, _and when._ There is no suggestion in the original, as seems to be implied in the English, that David’s repentance was in consequence of the visit of Gad; on the contrary, it was in consequence of his repentance and confession that the prophet was sent to him. THE PROPH... [ Continue Reading ]
SEVEN YEARS. — In Chronicles “three years,” and so the LXX. reads here also. This would be more in accordance with the “three” months and “three” days.... [ Continue Reading ]
LET US FALL NOW INTO THE HAND OF THE LORD. Here the spirit of David in his earlier years reappears; he chooses that form of punishment which seems to him most directly and immediately dependent upon God Himself. He places himself in His hands rather than suffer those other punishments in which the w... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TIME APPOINTED. — Much difficulty has been found with this expression; but, if the Hebrew can bear this meaning, it may be understood well enough of the time (somewhat less than three days, 2 Samuel 24:16)_,_ which God in His good pleasure determined. The Hebrew, however, probably means “time of... [ Continue Reading ]
GAD CAME. — As appears from 1 Chronicles 21:18, by direction of the angel. Daniel was still in Jerusalem proper, _i.e.,_ the hill of Zion, and it was looking out from thence that he had seen the angel “by the threshing-floor of Araunah,” i.e., on the lower hill of Mount Moriah, which afterwards beca... [ Continue Reading ]
SAW THE KING. — Not _the angel,_ as in Chronicles, the words in Hebrew being much alike.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ARAUNAH SAID. — Araunah, having heard David’s errand, has not a moment’s hesitation. That his threshing-floor is to be turned into the place of an altar, he at once considers as settled; but he would have preferred to make it a gift.... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THESE THINGS DID ARAUNAH. — This clause should be rendered as a part of Araunah’s address to David: “The whole, O king, does Araunah give unto the king.” (Comp. 1 Chronicles 21:23.) Then, after a moment’s pause, he added, “The LORD thy God accept thee.” The first word _king,_ however, is omitted... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THAT WHICH COST ME NOTHING. — The principle on which David acted is that which essentially underlies all true sacrifice and all real giving to God. FOR FIFTY SHEKELS OF SILVER. — This sum is expressly said to cover the cost both of the ground and of the oxen, and seems very small. In 1 Chronicles... [ Continue Reading ]
BUILT THERE AN ALTAR. — The parallel place in Chronicles states that the tabernacle “and the altar of burnt offering were at that season in the high place at Gibeon,” and that David was afraid to go before it “because of the sword of the angel,” _i.e.,_ the pestilence. It also mentions that when Dav... [ Continue Reading ]