_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 ]