1 Chronicles 21:30

Verse 1 Chronicles 21:30. _BECAUSE OF THE SWORD OF THE ANGEL_] This is given as a reason why David built an altar in the threshing-floor of Ornan: he was afraid to go to Gibeon, _because of the sword of the_ _destroying angel_, or he was afraid of _delaying_ the offerings so long as his going thither would require, lest the destroying angel should _in the mean while_ exterminate the people; therefore he hastily built an altar in that place, and on it made the requisite offerings, and by the fire from heaven God showed that he had accepted his act and his devotion. Such interventions as these must necessarily maintain in the minds of the people a full persuasion of the truth and Divine origin of their religion. For a more circumstantial account of these transactions, see the notes on...

David, knowing that by sacrifice on this altar he had caused the angel to stay his hand, was afraid to transfer his offerings elsewhere, lest the Angel should resume his task and pestilence again break out....

EXPOSITION This very important chapter in David's history is the parallel of 2 Samuel 24:1, which contains some details not found here, _e.g._ the route taken by those who went to number Israel (2 Samuel 24:5), and omits others. This chapter furnishes one of the clearer proofs (in respect of what it supplies, _not _found in Samuel) that its indebtedness is not to that book, but to a work open as well to the compiler of Chronicles as to the writer of Samuel. Its contents fall into five sections. 1. David's command to number the people, with Joab's remonstrances (2 Samuel 24:1). 2. The means taken to rouse David to a sense of his sin, and

BUT DAVID COULD NOT GO BEFORE IT TO INQUIRE OF GOD,.... Which yet was the proper place to seek the Lord in: the reason follows, FOR HE WAS AFRAID, BECAUSE OF THE SWORD OF THE ANGEL OF THE LORD; which had so terrified him, that he was so weak that he could not go; and he feared that, should he attempt to go, while he was going thither, at such a distance, the angel would make a terrible slaughter in Jerusalem, and therefore he durst not go and leave it; and besides, as the Lord had commanded him to build an altar there, he might fear it would displease him, should he depart from it; and the rather, as hereby he pointed out to him the place where the temple should be built, and sacrifices offered, as appears from what he says in the beginning of the next chapter....

May the Lord instruct us while we read. Perhaps We shall understand it better if we begin in the 21 st chapter at the 26 th verse. 1 Chronicles 21:26. _And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering. And the LORD commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof._ «And David built there» that is upon the threshing-floor of Ornan. The place of sacrifice was the place of salvation. The angel was smiting Jerusalem, but as soon as the sacrifice was offered the angel sheathed his sword. 1 Chronicles 21:28. At that time when David saw that the LORD had answered him in the thresh

10. THE NUMBERING OF THE PEOPLE AND THE PUNISHMENT CHAPTER 21 _ 1. David's failure in numbering the people (1 Chronicles 21:1)_ 2. David's confession and the message of God (1 Chronicles 21:8) 3. David's answer and the punishment (1 Chronicles 21:13) 4. The altar in the threshing floor of Ornan (1 Chronicles 21:18) On the alleged discrepancy between the statement in 2 Samuel 24:1 “And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and He moved (lite

1 CHRONICLES 21:1 TO 1 CHRONICLES 22:1 THE NUMBERING OF THE HOSTS; THE PUNISHMENT (see notes on 2 Samuel 24:1). There are many variations from the corresponding passage in 2 S., and it is uncertain whether the Chronicler used any other source or not. 1 Chronicles 21:1. And Satan stood up: in 2 Samuel 24:1 the temptation comes from Yahweh; the Chronicler altered this as unfitting in view of the developed doctrine of God which had supervened. In the earlier literature the term Satan means adversary ...

AFRAID: i.e. afraid [to delay] because, &c. Otherwise Gibeon was only about eight miles away....

_he was afraid_ Or, HE WAS TERRIFIED. The Heb. word is unusual....

BUT DAVID COULD NOT GO BEFORE IT, &C.— 1:e. David could not delay so long as to go to Gibeon, because he was convinced that God had consecrated the present spot, and that it was necessary to offer sacrifice there immediately. REFLECTIONS.—1st, Observe, 1. The greatest saints of God upon earth are but men, against whom Satan despairs not of prevailing; and they have need to take heed lest they fall, as David did here. 2. Pride of heart was the corruption on which the devil wrought in David, and deep it lies in the bosom of man. If once he can strike a spark on this tinder, it easily kindles. O that we may all be delivered from it! 2nd, Observe, 1. God's love to the sinner's soul will not spare the rod of chastisement. 2. Gad's reproof brought David to his knees; but this could not save him from the threatened judgment. We shall suffer in the flesh for our sins, though our spirit may...