2 Samuel 24:6

_THEN THEY CAME TO GILEAD, AND TO THE LAND OF TAHTIMHODSHI; AND THEY CAME TO DANJAAN, AND ABOUT TO ZIDON,_ The land of Tahtim-hodshi. What place is meant has been a matter of various conjecture. Apparently the most literal meaning is 'low land newly acquired,' namely, that of the Hagarenes, conquered by Saul (1 Chronicles 5:10). Others translate the words, 'the low land of Hodshi.' [The Septuagint has: eis geen Thabasoon hee estin Adasai; the Alexandrine, eis geen ethaoon adasai; which Thenius labours to render, 'into the land of Bashan, which is Edrei.]' '"The land of Tahtim-hodshi,"' says Porter, 'was manifestly a section of the upper valley of the Jordan, probably that now called Ard el-Huleh, lying deep down at the western base of Hermon.' The progress, after landing in Moab, was northward to Gilead, then from Gilead to the land of Tahtimhodshi to Dan-jaan. Th

1-9 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. God judges not of sin as we do. What appears to us harmless, or, at least, but a small offence, may be a great sin in the eye of God, who discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart. Even ungodly men can discern evil tempers and wrong conduct in believers, of which they themselves often remain unconscious. But God seldom allows those whom he loves the pleasures they sinfully covet....

Verse 2 Samuel 24:6. _TAHTIM-HODSHI_] Where this place was is not exactly known: some think that the words refer to a newly conquered country, as our margin, _the nether land newly inhabited_; and if so, this was probably the country _eastward_ of Gilead, which the Israelites, in the time of Saul, had conquered from the Hagarites, and dwelt in themselves. See 1 Chronicles 5:10, where this transaction is recorded. _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 speec

TO GILEAD - Jazer was in the plain. They passed from there to the mountain district of Gilead. THE LAND OF TAHTIM-HODSHI - The text here is corrupt, as no such land is known. Possibly the right reading is “the land of the Hittites” Judges 1:26; “hodshi” may be a fragment of a sentence which mentioned in what month חדשׁ _chôdesh_ they arrived there, just as 2 Samuel 24:8 relates that they returned to Jerusalem at the end of nine “months.” DAN-JAAN - The versions read “Dan-jaar,” i. e., Dan in the wood. Whatever is the meaning of “Jaan,” there can be little doubt that Dan (the ancient Laish) is meant (marginal references), both from its position and importance a

EXPOSITION 2 SAMUEL 24:1 AND AGAIN THE ANGER OF JEHOVAH WAS KINDLED AGAINST ISRAEL. It is probable that this chapter once stood in intimate connection with 2 Samuel 21:1; and that the famine therein described was followed by a pestilence, of which the blame largely rested upon David, though the sin punished by it was fully shared by the people. In saying that David was moved of Jehovah to number Israel and Judah, the writer acknowledges the great truth that all action, both good and evil, is of God. "Shall there be evil in a city, and Jehovah hath not done it?" (Amos 3:6). While we are taught to pray that we may not be led into temptation, yet trial and temptation are by G

THEN THEY CAME TO 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, Deuteronomy 3:12; which tribes were numbered, and the first of all: AND TO THE LAND OF TAHTIMHODSHI; or the low lands of a new place; it seems to be a country newly possessed and inhabited; the Targum calls it the southern land of Hodshi; Bunting w calls it the lower country of Hodshi, near to the city Corazin, in the half tribe of Manasseh, fifty two miles from Jerusalem, and towards the northeast, and signifies a new land: AND THEY CAME TO DANJAAN; the same that is simply called Dan, and formerly Leshem, Joshua 19:47; why Juan is added to it is not easy to say; it lay at the northern border of the land of I

4. DAVID'S FAILURE: THE ALTAR ON THE THRESHING FLOOR OF ARAUNAH CHAPTER 24 _ 1. The numbering of the people (2 Samuel 24:1)_ 2. The sin acknowledged and Gad's message (2 Samuel 24:10) 3. The pestilence (2 Samuel 24:15) 4. The altar on the threshing floor of Araunah (2 Samuel 24:18) The final chapter of the books of Samuel is of much interest and importance. “And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.” In...

1 SAMUEL 24. THE CENSUS (J). (_Cf._ p. 292.) This event also may belong to the beginning of David's reign over all Israel. 2 SAMUEL 24:1. Here is another illustration of the imperfect recognition of the moral nature of Yahweh in the primitive documents. No one is conscious of sin, yet Yahweh, for some inscrutable, arbitrary reason, is angry with His people. Accordingly, He induces David to commit an obvious sin, so that He may have a justification for punishing Israel. It is useless to ask why a census was sinful; such ideas go too far back for us to trace their origin (Numbers 31:50 *). In the Priestly Code censuses are taken quite happily. The subsequent advance of religious thought in Israel is indicated by the fact that in...

TAHTIM-HODSHI. Site unknown. If translated. the lower parts of the country where the new moon was worshipped. Like Beth-shemesh. House of the Sun. DAN-JAAN. Dan in the wood, perhaps Laish-Dan (Joshua 19:47; Judges 18:29).. passed round....

The Numbering of the People 1. _again_ The previous manifestation of God's anger referred to was the famine (ch. 21). It is possible that the two narratives stood in close juxtaposition in the original document used by the compiler. _and he moved David against them_ The subject of the verb is Jehovah. The nation had sinned and incurred His anger, and He instigated David to an act which brought down a sharp punishment on the nation. The statement that God incited David to do what was afterwards condemned and punished as a heinous sin cannot of course mean that He _compelled_David to sin, but that in order to test and prove his character He allowed the temptation to assault him. Thus while we read that "God himself tempteth no man" (James 1:13), we are taught to pray "Bring us not into temptation" ...