1 Crônicas 21

1 Crônicas 21

Wiersbe - 2 Samuel 24:1 states that God incited David to number the people, while 1 Chronicles 21:1 names Satan as the culprit. Both are true: God permitted Satan to tempt David in order to accomplish the purposes He had in mind. Satan certainly opposed God's people throughout all of Old Testament history, but this is one of four instances in the Old Testament where Satan is named specifically and seen openly at work. The other three are when he tempted Eve (Gen. 3), when he attacked Job (Job 1-2) and when he accused Joshua the high priest (Zech. 3). (See Wiersbe's book The strategy of Satan : how to detect and defeat him for discussion of all of these OT appearances of Satan) (Borrow Be restored : 2 Samuel & 1 Chronicles) Gleason Archer - page in New International Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties - Who moved David to number his people, God or Satan? In 2 Samuel 24:1 we read, “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 the parallel account in 1 Chronicles 21:1–2 it is stated: “And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beer-sheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.” The wording of 1 Chronicles 21:2 is very similar to that of 2 Samuel 24:2; there is no significant difference. But so far as the first verse of each chapter is concerned, it appears in 2 Samuel 24 that God Himself incited David to conduct the census, whereas in 1 Chronicles 21 it was Satan, the adversary of God. This would seem to be a serious discrepancy—unless both statements are true. In neither book are we given a definite context for this census taking, and we have no way of knowing whether it took place before or after Absalom’s revolt. But since it led indirectly to the acquisition of the hill (Mt. Moriah) that became the location of the temple and of the royal palaces, it must have occurred several years before the end of David’s career. Only thus could he have had opportunity to amass the large amount of costly ornamentation and material that Solomon was later to use in fashioning that temple (1 Chron. 29:3–5). Without being fully aware of what was going on in his heart, David had apparently been building up an attitude of pride and self-admiration for what he had achieved in the way of military success and economic expansion of his people. He began to think more in terms of armaments and troops than in terms of the faithful mercies of God. In his youth he had put his entire trust in God alone, whether he was facing Goliath with a slingshot or an army of Amalekites with a band of four hundred men. But in later years he had come to rely more and more on material resources, like any hardheaded realist, and he learned to measure his strength by the yardstick of numbers and wealth. The Lord therefore decided that it was time for David to be brought to his knees once more and to be cast on the grace of God through a time of soul-searching trial. He therefore encouraged David to carry out the plan he had long cherished, that of counting up his manpower resources in order to plan his future military strategy with a view to the most effective deployment of his armies. Quite possibly this would also afford him a better base for assessment of taxes. And so God in effect said to him: “All right, go ahead and do it. Then you will find out how much good it will do you.” Though he was a hard-bitten and ambitious commander, General Joab felt a definite uneasiness about this whole project. He sensed that David and his advisors were becoming increasingly puffed up over their brilliant conquests, which had brought the Palestinian, Syrian, and Phoenician kingdoms into a state of vassalage and dependency on Israel. Joab was fearful that the Lord was displeased with this new attitude of self-confidence and self-esteem, and he tried to dissuade David from his purpose. 1 Chronicles 21:3 records Joab as saying, “The LORD make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? Why then doth my lord require this thing? Why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?” There is a definite sense in which Yahweh gave David a final warning through the lips of Joab, before David finally committed himself to the census. It was not that census taking was inherently evil. The Lord was not displeased with the two censuses taken in the time of Moses; in fact, He gave Moses positive directions to number all his military effectives (Num. 1:2–3; 26:2), both at the beginning of the forty years’ wandering in the desert and at the end of that period, as they were on the threshold of the conquest. The second census was designed to show that the total of Israel’s armed forces was actually a bit less than it had been forty years earlier. And yet with that smaller force they would sweep all their enemies before them, rather than cowering in fear at the prospect of war as their fathers had done at Kadesh-Barnea. The second census would also serve a useful purpose as a basis for the distribution of the conquered territory among the Twelve Tribes. The more numerous tribes should be awarded the larger tracts in the apportionment of land. But this census on which David had set his heart could serve no other purpose than to inflate the national ego. As soon as the numbering was complete, God meant to chasten the nation by a disastrous plague that would cause a considerable loss of life and a decrease in the numbers of their citizens. But as we turn back to the opening verse in 1 Chronicles 21, we are faced with the statement that it was Satan who moved David to conduct the census even over Joab’s warning and protest. The verb for “incited” is identical in both accounts (wayyāseṯ). Why would Satan get himself involved in this affair if God had already prompted David to commit the folly he had in mind? It was because Satan found it in his own interest to do so. The situation here somewhat resembles the first and second chapters of Job, in which it was really a challenge to Satan from God that led to Job’s calamities. God’s purpose was to purify Job’s faith and ennoble his character through the discipline of adversity. Satan’s purpose was purely malicious; he wished to do Job as much harm as he possibly could, and if possible drive him to curse God for his misfortunes. Thus it came about that both God and Satan were involved in Job’s downfall and disaster. Similarly we find both God and Satan involved in the sufferings of persecuted Christians according to 1 Peter 4:19 and 5:8. God’s purpose is to strengthen their faith and to enable them to share in the sufferings of Christ in this life, that they may rejoice with Him in the glories of heaven to come (1 Peter 4:13–14). But Satan’s purpose is to “devour” them (1 Peter 5:8), that is, to draw them into bitterness or self-pity, and thus drag them down to his level and his baneful destiny. Even in the case of Christ Himself, it was Satan’s purpose to deflect the Savior from His messianic mission by the three temptations he offered Him; but it was the Father’s purpose for the Second Adam to triumph completely over the very tempter who had lured the first Adam to his fall. Also, at the Crucifixion it was Satan’s purpose to have Jesus betrayed by Judas (whose heart he filled with treachery and hate [John 13:27]); but it was the Father’s purpose that the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world should give His life as a ransom for many—and this was symbolized by the cup that Christ was forced to accept at Gethsemane. And in the case of Peter, Jesus informed him before his triple denial in the court of the high priest: “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31–32, NIV). Here, then, we have five other examples of incidents or situations in which both Satan and God were involved in soul-searching testings and trials—God with a basically benevolent motive and a view to eventual victory and increasing usefulness for the person so tested, but Satan with an altogether malicious motive, hoping to so as much damage as he possibly can. Therefore we can say without hesitation that both accounts of David’s incitement were correct. God incited him in order to teach him and and his people a lesson they needed to learn and to humble them in a way that would promote their spiritual growth. Satan incited him in order to deal a severe blow to Israel and to mar David’s prestige before his subjects. As it turned out (and this is true of virtually all the other examples as well), Satan’s success was limited and transient; but in the end God’s purpose was well served and His cause was substantially furthered. In the aftermath of the plague, which cost the lives of seventy thousand Israelites (2 Sam. 24:15), the angel of the Lord designated the exact spot on Mount Moriah where the plague was stopped as the chosen spot for the future temple of the Lord (v.18). This structure was destined to bring much blessing into the lives of God’s people for many generations to come. Once again Satan’s malice was surpassed by the overruling grace of God. Norman Geisler - borrow When critics ask : a popular handbook on Bible difficulties - 2 SAMUEL 24:1—How can this passage claim that God moved David to number Israel when 1 Chronicles 21:1 claims that it was Satan? PROBLEM: This passage reports the sin of David in numbering the people of Israel and Judah. Verse one affirms that God moved David to number the people. However, according to 1 Chronicles 21:1, it was Satan who moved David to number the people. Who was responsible for prompting David to act? SOLUTION: Both statements are true. Although it was Satan who immediately incited David, ultimately it was God who permitted Satan to carry out this provocation. Although it was Satan’s design to destroy David and the people of God, it was God’s purpose to humble David and the people and teach them a valuable spiritual lesson. This situation is quite similar to the first two chapters of Job in which both God and Satan are involved in the suffering of Job. Similarly, both God and Satan are involved in the crucifixion. Satan’s purpose was to destroy the Son of God (John 13:2; 1 Cor 2:8). God’s purpose was to redeem humankind by the death of His Son (Acts 2:14–39). Walter Kaiser - p 213 in Hard Sayings in the Bible - Why Was the Census a Sin? God had commanded Moses twice to take a census in Numbers 1 and 26, yet in 2 Samuel David numbers Israel because God, angry with Israel, incites him to it; 1 Chronicles attributes the result to the influence of Satan on David. Are these contradictory passages an instance where error has crept into Scripture? Let us first establish why census-taking could be sinful. In effect, the census acted as a draft notice or a mustering of the troops. Some conclude, based on 1 Chronicles 27:23–24, that David sinned by numbering those people under twenty years of age—an illegal act. Others see the numbering as doubting God’s promise that David’s descendants would be as measureless as the sand and stars. The best solution is that it was motivated by presumption. God had given David no objective or reason to go out to battle. Only David’s pride and ambition could have brought on such an act. The and at the beginning of 1 Chronicles 21:1 in some translations seems to invite us to look at the conclusion of the previous chapter. First Chronicles 20:8 mentions that the giant’s descendants were among those whom David and his men vanquished. The connection could be that David, flushed with his successes, grew too big in his own eyes and opened the door for Satan to successfully tempt him. This brings us to the second difficulty of this hard saying: Was it God or Satan who tempted David to sin? Satan is mentioned infrequently in the Old Testament. He was introduced in Job 1–2 and in the postexilic period in Zechariah 3:1. However, in both of these latter cases, the definite article is used; 1 Chronicles 21:1 does not use it. Even though the doctrine of the supernatural being named Satan was not well developed in the Old Testament, the appearance of Satan cannot be reduced to Persian dualism or one’s adversary in general. Even in the Garden of Eden there exists a hostile presence called “the serpent.” What is new in this passage is the formalizing of his name as “the adversary” or “opposer.” But the activities of the serpent and Satan make it clear that they are the same person. How then does this relatively unidentified but never-absent personage play a key role in one version of David’s sin when God receives the dubious credit in another? The thought that God instigates or impels sinners to do evil is incorrect. In no sense could God author what he disapproves of and makes his whole kingdom stand against. How then shall we understand 2 Samuel 24:1, where God seems to instigate something which he will immediately label as sin? God may and does occasionally impel sinners to reveal the wickedness of their hearts in deeds. God merely presents the opportunity and occasion for letting the evil desires of the heart manifest themselves outwardly. In this manner, sinners may see more quickly the evil which lies dormant in their hearts and motivates them to act counter to God’s will. It is also true, according to Hebrew thinking, that whatever God permits he commits. By allowing this census-taking, God is viewed as having brought about the act. The Hebrews were not very concerned with determining secondary causes and properly attributing them to the exact cause. Under the idea of divine providence everything ultimately was attributed to God; why not say he did it in the first place? Since the number of variations here between Samuel and Chronicles are greater than usual and point to no clear rationale for emphasizing one set of facts over another, scholars suggest that Chronicles may represent the better and more dependable text tradition of the original Hebrew rather than that reflected in English versions of Samuel. Although we should not overestimate the textual variants between Samuel and Chronicles in this chapter, some of the texts from Qumran’s Dead Sea Scrolls indicate that some of its Samuel readings agree with readings previously found only in Chronicles. This would bring more harmony to the differences among texts. Almost all students of Scripture judge that Chronicles was composed during the exile or just after it. Therefore it likely was based on an earlier form of the Samuel narrative no doubt well known and widely used. Note the way that the writer of Chronicles linked his materials; it reflects a linkage explicitly made in 2 Samuel 24:1. There the writer of 2 Samuel 24:1 noted, “Again the anger of the LORD burned,” a reference to 2 Samuel 21:1–14, which also had to do with atonement for guilt. Accordingly, even though the chronicler omitted the material in 2 Samuel 23–24, he had a literary precedent for linking the materials in 2 Samuel 21 and 24. The selection of a site for the temple in Jerusalem marked a fitting climax to this phase of David’s activity. Having shown that David did indeed sin and that Satan, not God, was to blame, that still leaves all Israel the victims of the plague God sent to punish the sin. But David’s subjects were as guilty as their king, according to 2 Samuel 24:1. Thus God dealt with all Israel through the act of the king who exemplified the national spirit of pride. QUESTION - Why was God so angry at David for taking the census? See the accompanying video discussion. ANSWER - 2 Samuel 24:1 says, “Again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, ‘Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.’” The parallel account of the incident surrounding the census, however, reveals it was Satan who incited David to take the census: “Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel” (1Ch 21:1). This discrepancy is often explained by the understanding that, in order to achieve His purposes, sometimes God sovereignly permits Satan to act. God can use Satan in various ways, with the result being the refining, disciplining, and purification of disobedient believers (Lk 22:31–32; 1Co 5:1–5; 2Co 12:7–10). Such might have been the case with David. God allowed Satan to tempt him, and David sinned, revealing his pride, and God then dealt with David accordingly. There are other considerations concerning the passages relating David’s sinful census. Here is 2 Samuel 24:1 in four translations: “Again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he incited David against them . . .” (NIV). “Again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them . . .” (ESV). “And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them . . .” (KJV). “Now again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and it incited David against them . . .” (NASB). Note that the New American Standard Bible says “it” (the anger of the Lord) is what caused David to take the census. The other translations say “he” (the Lord) did the inciting. The reason for the differences in translation is that, in the original language, there is no subject for the verb incited. The fact is we aren’t told who exactly moved David to take the census. To translate the verse literally, we would say, “There was who moved David against them” or “For one moved David against them.” The translations above have taken this to mean it was either God or His anger that caused David to take the census. But there are other options: – The unstated thing that moved David to conduct the census could have been David’s own evil imagination. – The “one” who moved David could be Satan, as 1 Chronicles 21:1 says. – The “adversary” (the meaning of the word Satan) mentioned in 1 Chronicles could be someone other than the devil; it could have been an unnamed counselor to David who prompted him into a foolish (or sinful) action. As to why God was angry at David, in those times, a man only had the right to count or number what belonged to him. Israel did not belong to David; Israel belonged to God. In Exodus 30:12 God told Moses, “When you take a census of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the LORD a ransom for his life at the time he is counted. Then no plague will come on them when you number them.” It was up to God to command a census, and if David counted he should only have done it at God’s command, receiving a ransom to “atone” for the counting. This is why God was angry again with Israel and is also why David was “conscience-stricken” after he counted Israel. David knew it was wrong and begged God to take away the guilt of his sin (2 Samuel 24:10). God gave David a choice of three punishments for his sin—three years of famine, three months of fleeing before his enemies, or three days of plague. David chose the third, and the Lord then punished Israel with a plague that killed 70,000 men from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south. As for why God punished the whole nation for the sin of the king, that is exactly the question David asks in 2 Samuel 24:17. Why, when he was the one who had sinned, did the people have to suffer? He even requested that God’s hand be against him and his family only, and that God would spare the people. But, as with the account of Job, God chose not to give a reason for His actions. Perhaps it was because of Israel’s multiplied sins and rebellion against God throughout the centuries. Perhaps it was a lesson to the people (and to us as well) that the people suffer when their leaders go astray. The reality is that God didn’t justify His actions with a reason, nor does He have to. Of the three choices presented to David, the first two would have involved some level of dependency upon the mercy of man: the warfare, of course, would be as severe as the enemy wanted it to be; the famine would require Israel to seek food from other nations, relying on the pity of their neighbors. Instead of relying on the mercy of any human, David chose to rely on the mercy of God—the pestilence was, after all, the most direct form of punishment from God, and in the plague they could only look to God for relief. The psalmist tells us, “As for God, His way is perfect” (Psalm 18:30). If God’s ways are “perfect,” then we can trust that whatever He does—and whatever He allows—is also perfect. Our responsibility to God is to obey Him, to trust Him, and to submit to His will, whether we understand it or not. As we see in 2 Samuel 24:16, God was grieved because of the things that were happening to His people, and He called off the punishment. Even in His rebuke God still shows His love and mercy.GotQuestions.org Related Resource: Why did God order a census in the book of Numbers? | GotQuestions.org 1 Chronicles 21:2 So David said to Joab and to the princes of the people, "Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan, and bring me word that I may know their number." Joab: 2Sa 24:2-4 Beersheba: Jdg 20:1 1Sa 3:20 2Sa 3:10 17:11 24:15 1Ki 4:25 2Ch 30:5 bring: 1Ch 27:23,24 that I may: De 8:13-17 2Ch 32:25,26 Pr 29:23 2Co 12:7 GO AND NUMBER THE TROOPS 2 Samuel 24:1+ has these two commands as coming from Satan Go, number Israel and Judah." So David said to Joab and to the princes of the people, "Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan, and bring me word that I may know their number." Two flaming missiles entered David's mind in the form of commands, like "You must do this to satisfy your flesh!" In 2Sa 24:2 David yields to the temptation and in turn commands his commander(s) to number the people. The command to "Number" in the Septuagint is in the active voice indicating David made a choice of his will (he was not forced as passive voice might indicate) to issue this command. David is not interested in a population census, but a military force census. How many able bodied soldiers did he have access to? 1 Chronicles 21:3 Joab said, "May the LORD add to His people a hundred times as many as they are! But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? Why does my lord seek this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt to Israel?" BGT 1 Chronicles 21:3 καὶ εἶπεν Ιωαβ προσθείη κύριος ἐπὶ τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ὡς αὐτοὶ ἑκατονταπλασίως καὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ κυρίου μου τοῦ βασιλέως βλέποντες πάντες τῷ κυρίῳ μου παῖδες ἵνα τί ζητεῖ ὁ κύριός μου τοῦτο ἵνα μὴ γένηται εἰς ἁμαρτίαν τῷ Ισραηλ LXE 1 Chronicles 21:3 And Joab said, May the Lord add to his people, a hundred-fold as many as they are, and let the eyes of my lord the king see it: all are the servants of my lord. Why does my lord seek this thing? do it not, lest it become a sin to Israel. KJV 1 Chronicles 21:3 And Joab answered, The LORD make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel? NET 1 Chronicles 21:3 Joab replied, "May the LORD make his army a hundred times larger! My master, O king, do not all of them serve my master? Why does my master want to do this? Why bring judgment on Israel?" CSB 1 Chronicles 21:3 Joab replied, "May the LORD multiply the number of His people a hundred times over! My lord the king, aren't they all my lord's servants? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?" ESV 1 Chronicles 21:3 But Joab said, "May the LORD add to his people a hundred times as many as they are! Are they not, my lord the king, all of them my lord's servants? Why then should my lord require this? Why should it be a cause of guilt for Israel?" NIV 1 Chronicles 21:3 But Joab replied, "May the LORD multiply his troops a hundred times over. My lord the king, are they not all my lord's subjects? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?" NLT 1 Chronicles 21:3 But Joab replied, "May the LORD increase the number of his people a hundred times over! But why, my lord the king, do you want to do this? Are they not all your servants? Why must you cause Israel to sin?" NRS 1 Chronicles 21:3 But Joab said, "May the LORD increase the number of his people a hundredfold! Are they not, my lord the king, all of them my lord's servants? Why then should my lord require this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?" NJB 1 Chronicles 21:3 Joab replied, 'May Yahweh multiply his people to a hundred times what they are today! But my lord king, are they not all my lord's servants in any case? Why should my lord insist on this? Why should he involve Israel in guilt?' NAB 1 Chronicles 21:3 But Joab replied: "May the LORD increase his people a hundredfold! My lord king, are not all of them my lord's subjects? Why does my lord seek to do this thing? Why will he bring guilt upon Israel?" The Lord: 1Ch 19:13 Ps 115:14 Pr 14:28 Isa 26:15 48:19 why will: Ge 20:9 Ex 32:21 Nu 32:9,10 1Sa 2:24 1Ki 14:16 JOAB WARNS DAVID "NOT NECESSARY" Joab said, "May the LORD add to His people a hundred times as many as they are! But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants?Joab's reply is like a prayer and his exhortation is for David to stand and watch what God would do. Joab, although often impetuous and rash, once again gives reasonable counsel to David, which David should have seen as a warning. David is a man after God's own heart, but as we have seen is not perfect and sometimes acts more like a man after a man's (fallen) heart! Can't we all identify? (Rhetorical!) Why does my lord seek this thing? Joab presses the point home asking why David would even want to do this? Clearly, as commander over David's armies, Joab of all people, should have known whether Israel's army was lacking adequate numbers to carry out war. And yet he sees no need for numbering. Why should he be a cause of guilt to Israel? - On this point Joab is more righteous than David! NLT paraphrases it as a blunt, clear warning from Joab "Why must you cause Israel to sin?"" 1 Chronicles 21:4 Nevertheless, the king's word prevailed against Joab. Therefore, Joab departed and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem. the king's: Ec 8:4 Wherefore: Ex 1:17 Da 3:18 Ac 5:29 and went: 2Sa 24:3-8 DAVID STICKS TO HIS GUNS...UNFORTUNATELY! "Stick to your guns means" to hold fast to a statement, opinion, or course of action. Nevertheless, the king's word prevailed against Joab - A sad term of contrast. David ignores Joab's wise words and clear warning! One is reminded of when David told his servants to go bring Bathsheba, they warned him that this was a married woman! He failed to heed their warning, just as he failed to heed Joab's warning and paid a heavy price both times! THOUGHT - If you are warned by someone that what you are thinking about doing is clearly a sin, you would be wise to stop in your tracks and re-consider what you are thinking about doing or saying! And then after thinking soberly about it, you make the righteous, godly choice to not carry out the sin lest you too suffer painful consequences! In fact Paul says "make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts." (Ro 13:14b) David made provision for the flesh in regard to his lusts and it cost him 70,000 souls! Therefore, Joab departed and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.- There 9 month 20 day journey is described in detail in 2Sa 24:5-8+. Joab and commanders disagreed but do not disobey. 1 Chronicles 21:5 Joab gave the number of the census of all the people to David. And all Israel were 1,100,000 men who drew the sword; and Judah was 470,000 men who drew the sword. BGT 1 Chronicles 21:5 καὶ ἔδωκεν Ιωαβ τὸν ἀριθμὸν τῆς ἐπισκέψεως τοῦ λαοῦ τῷ Δαυιδ καὶ ἦν πᾶς Ισραηλ χίλιαι χιλιάδες καὶ ἑκατὸν χιλιάδες ἀνδρῶν ἐσπασμένων μάχαιραν καὶ Ιουδας τετρακόσιαι καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα χιλιάδες ἀνδρῶν ἐσπασμένων μάχαιραν LXE 1 Chronicles 21:5 And Joab gave the number of the mustering of the people to David: and all Israel was a million and a hundred thousand men that drew sword: and the sons of Juda were four hundred and seventy thousand men that drew sword. KJV 1 Chronicles 21:5 And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand men that drew sword: and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword. NET 1 Chronicles 21:5 Joab reported to David the number of warriors. In all Israel there were 1,100,000 sword-wielding soldiers; Judah alone had 470,000 sword-wielding soldiers. CSB 1 Chronicles 21:5 Joab gave the total troop registration to David. In all Israel there were 1,100,000 swordsmen and in Judah itself 470,000 swordsmen. ESV 1 Chronicles 21:5 And Joab gave the sum of the numbering of the people to David. In all Israel there were 1,100,000 men who drew the sword, and in Judah 470,000 who drew the sword. NIV 1 Chronicles 21:5 Joab reported the number of the fighting men to David: In all Israel there were one million one hundred thousand men who could handle a sword, including four hundred and seventy thousand in Judah. NLT 1 Chronicles 21:5 and reported the number of people to David. There were 1,100,000 warriors in all Israel who could handle a sword, and 470,000 in Judah. a thousand: The Syriac has 800,000 as in the parallel passage of Samuel. 1Ch 27:23 2Sa 24:9 Related Passage: 2 Samuel 24:9 And Joab gave the number of the registration of the people to the king; and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men. Joab gave the number of the census of all the people to David. And all Israel were 1,100,000 men who drew the sword; and Judah was 470,000 men who drew the sword - Clearly these numbers are not the same as the parallel passage above. See Archer's explanation below. Gleason Archer - page in New International Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties - 2 Samuel 24:9 gives the total population for Israel as 800,000, which is 300,000 less than the corresponding figure in 1 Chronicles 21:5. On the other hand, 2 Samuel 24 gives 500,000 for Judah, as over against a mere 470,000 in 1 Chronicles 21. How can these apparent discrepancies be reconciled? A possible solution may be found along these lines. So far as Israel (i.e., the tribes north of Judah) is concerned, the 1 Chronicles figure includes all the available men of fighting age, whether battle seasoned or not. But from 2 Samuel 24 we learn that Joab’s report gave a subtotal of “mighty men” (ʾîš ḥayil), i.e., battle-seasoned troops, consisting of 800,000 veterans. But in addition there may have been 300,000 more men of military age who served in the reserves but had not yet been involved in field combat. These two contingents would make up a total of 1,100,000—as 1 Chronicles 21 reports them, without employing the term ʾíš ḥayil. So far as Judah was concerned, 2 Samuel 24 gives the round figure of 500,000, which was 30,000 more than the corresponding item in 1 Chronicles 21. Now it should be observed that 1 Chronicles 21:6 makes it clear that Joab did not complete the numbering, for he did not get around to a census of the tribe of Benjamin (nor that of Levi, either) before David came under conviction about completing the census at all. Joab was glad to desist when he saw the king’s change of heart. The procedure for conducting the census had been to start with the Transjordanian tribes (2 Sam. 24:5) and then shift to the northernmost tribe of Dan and work southward back toward Jerusalem (v.7). This meant that the numbering of Benjamin would have come last. Hence Benjamin was not included with the total for Israel or that for Judah, either. But in the case of 2 Samuel 24, the figure for Judah included the already known figure of 30,000 troops mustered by Benjamin (which lay immediately adjacent to Jerusalem itself). Hence the total of 500,000 included the Benjamite contingent. Observe that after the division of the united kingdom into North and South following the death of Solomon in 930 B.C., most of the Benjamites remained loyal to the dynasty of David and constituted (along with Simeon to the south) the kingdom of Judah. Hence it was reasonable to include Benjamin with Judah and Simeon in the subtotal figure of 500,000—even though Joab may not have itemized it in the first report he gave to David (1 Chron. 21:5). It would seem then that the completed grand total of the fighting forces available to David for military service was 1,600,000 (1,100,000 of Israel, 470,000 of Judah-Simeon, and 30,000 of Benjamin). Norman Geisler - borrow When critics ask : a popular handbook on Bible difficulties - 2 SAMUEL 24:9—Why do the numbers of men recorded in 2 Samuel 24:9 and in 1 Chronicles 21:5–6 disagree? PROBLEM: When David was moved to number the people of Israel and Judah, he sent Joab to carry out the task. According to the report in 2 Samuel 24:9, the number of the men of valor in Israel was 800,000, and the number of the men of valor in Judah was 500,000. However, according to 1 Chronicles 21:5–6, the number of the men who drew the sword in Israel was 1,100,000, and the number of the men who drew the sword in Judah was 470,000. Which of these calculations is correct? SOLUTION: This discrepancy involves the difference in who was included in each report. In the report in 2 Samuel, the number of men of valor who drew the sword was 800,000, but did not include the standing army of 288,000 described in 1 Chronicles 27:1–15, or the 12,000 specifically attached to Jerusalem described in 2 Chronicles 1:14. Including these figures gives the grand total of 1,100,000 men of valor who composed the entire army of the men of Israel. The figure of 470,000 in 1 Chronicles 21 did not include the 30,000 men of the standing army of Judah mentioned in 2 Samuel 6:1. This is evident from the fact that the Chronicler points out that Joab did not complete the counting of the men of Judah (1 Chron. 21:6). Both calculations are correct according to the groups which were included and excluded from each report. 1 Chronicles 21:6 But he did not number Levi and Benjamin among them, for the king's command was abhorrent to Joab. Levi: Nu 1:47-49 Joab: 2Sa 3:27 11:15-21 20:9,10 But he did not number Levi and Benjamin among them, for the king's command was abhorrent to Joab - In effect Joab partially disobeyed David's command for David had commanded "Go about now through all the tribes of Israel." (2Sa 24:2) Levites were excluded from military duty. Why bypass the tribe of Benjamin is unclear. 1 Chronicles 21:7 God was displeased with this thing, so He struck Israel. God was displeased with this thing: Heb. And it was evil in the eyes of God concerning this thing, 2Sa 11:27 1Ki 15:5 He struck Israel.: 1Ch 21:14 Jos 7:1,5,13 22:16-26 2Sa 21:1,14 24:1 GOD'S DISPLEASURE DISPENSES "PAIN" God was displeased with this thing, so He struck Israel - Compare 2Sa 24:10+ which says "Now David's heart troubled him after he had numbered the people. So David said to the LORD, "I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O LORD, please take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have acted very foolishly." This passage suggests that even before God struck Israel, David's heart was convicted of sinning against God. Warren Wiersbe sums up the problem with the census - There was nothing illegal about a national census, if it was done according to the rules laid down in Exodus 30:11-16 (and see Num. 3:40-51). The half shekel received at the census was used to pay the bills for the sanctuary of God (Ex. 38:25-28). As a good Jewish citizen, Jesus paid his temple tax (Matt. 17:24-27), even though He knew that much of the ministry at the temple in that day was corrupt and had been rejected by His Father (Matt. 23:37-24:1). The phrase "the people" used in 2 Samuel 24:2, 4, 9, 10 refers to the Jewish military forces and is used this way in the Authorized Version of 1 Samuel 4:3, 4, 17. But the census that David ordered wasn't to collect the annual temple tax; it was a military census to see how big his army was, as verse 9 makes clear. But there had been military censuses in Israel in the past and the Lord hadn't judged the nation (Num. 1 and 26). What was there about this census that was wrong? Joab and his captains were against the project (v. 4) and Joab's speech in verse 3 suggests that David's command was motivated by pride. The king wanted to magnify his own achievements rather than glorify the Lord. David may have rationalized this desire by arguing that his son Solomon was a man of peace who had no military experience. David wanted to be certain that, after his death, Israel would have the forces needed to preserve the peace. Another factor may have been David's plan to organize the army, the government, and the priests and Levites so that Solomon could manage things more easily and be able to build the temple (1 Chron. 22-27). Whatever the cause, the Lord was displeased (1 Chron. 21:7), but He permitted Joab and his captains to spend the next nine months and twenty days counting the Israelites twenty years old and upward who were fit for military service. Sometimes God's greatest judgment is simply to let us have our own way. The census takers left Jerusalem, traveled east across the Jordan, and started counting at Aroer in the vicinity of the Dead Sea. Then they moved north through Gad and Gilead to Israel's northernmost border, where David had conquered the territory and expanded his kingdom (2 Sam. 8). The men then went west to Tyre and Sidon and then south to Beersheba in Judah, Israel's farthest border city. (Borrow Be restored : 2 Samuel & 1 Chronicles) 1 Chronicles 21:8 David said to God, "I have sinned greatly, in that I have done this thing. But now, please take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly." I have sinned: 2Sa 12:13 24:10 Ps 25:11 32:5 Jer 3:13 Lu 15:18,19 1Jn 1:9 away: Ps 51:1-3 Ho 14:2 Joh 1:29 I have done: Ge 34:7 1Sa 13:13 26:21 2Sa 13:13 2Ch 10:9 Related Passages: Psalms 51:1-3 For the choir director. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity And cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me. DAVID'S CRY OF CONFESSION David said to God, "I have sinned greatly, in that I have done this thing - Note that two uses of the personal pronoun "I." As discussed more below David "owned" (or owned up to) his own sin. That's a lesson for all of us which is worth filing away! Notice that this time (and 1Ch 21:8) David adds to his confession the adjective GREATLY! Here 70,000 people have died! Wiersbe adds on sinned greatly - Most of us would consider his sins relating to Bathsheba far worse than the sin of numbering the people, and far more foolish, but David saw the enormity of what he had done. David's sins with Bathsheba took the lives of four of David's sons (the baby, Amnon, Absalom, and Adonijah) plus the life of Uriah; but after the census, God sent a plague that took the lives of seventy thousand people. The Lord must have agreed with David that he had indeed sinned greatly. (Borrow Be restored : 2 Samuel & 1 Chronicles) But now, please take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly David asks for forgiveness. He does not ask for God to take away the consequences, as surely by this time of his life, he is fully aware that sin ALWAYS calls forth consequences of one degree or another. Notice the nature of sin -- it is utterly foolish! In short, sin is stupid! When we sin we are acting like fools! THOUGHT - Regarding consequences of every sin, at the very least, every time we sin and fail to confess and repent, we disturb our fellowship with the Father as well as grieving and/or quenching the flame (and power) of the Holy Spirit, thus short circuiting His flow of supernatural power we need to this this Christian life. Are you failing and falling in your Christian life, unable to fend off temptations? One thought is to ask God to do a David-like heart checkup (pray Psalm 139:23-24+). If the Spirit reveals unconfessed sin, do not cover it up, but put it under the blood of Jesus (1Jn 1:7, 9+). It is worth recalling another king named Saul who made a similar declaration and request - "Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; I have indeed transgressed the command of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice. “Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me, that I may worship the LORD.” But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel.” (1Sa 15:24-26+) Notice that Saul's confession had a caveat or disclaimer, in essence saying the people made me do it! He did not "own it" for himself, by himself! We don't see that "half-confession" in David's declaration neither here are when confronted by the prophet Nathan resulting in his confession "Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has taken away your sin; you shall not die." (2Sa 12:13+) Notice the clear distinction between the two confessions! To reiterate, genuine confession is "I sinned!" not "I sinned...but!" THOUGHT - Beloved, let us all learn from this powerful lesson to own our own sin, not looking for scapegoats, not making excuses, not deceiving ourselves that simply saying the words "I have sinned" mean that we truly mean it! God grant us all the Spirit given grace to personally, fully "own" (or "own up to") our own sin so that the blood of Jesus might cover and cleanse us (1Jn 1:7+). And then we must be cognizant of the consequences, understanding that confession wipes out the sin before our Father, but does not wipe out the consequences related to that sin. These hard truths should drive us all to Paul's words in Romans 8:13+ so we are ever ready and willing by the Spirit to put to death the deeds of the flesh (aka sins) so that we might live! 1 Chronicles 21:9 The LORD spoke to Gad, David's seer, saying, Gad: 1Ch 29:29 1Sa 9:9 2Sa 24:11 GOD SPEAKS TO HIS MOUTHPIECE GAD The LORD spoke to Gad, David's seer, saying - The parallel passage in 2 Samuel 24:11 says " When David arose in the morning, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying." Seer (02374)(chozeh from chazah = to see, behold) is an authoritative person who receives and communicates a message from God, possibly with an emphasis on the visual nature of the message. This is a prophet, who sees or perceives. In Isaiah a rebellious people sought to curb the functions of these seers (Isa. 30:10). In 1 Samuel 9:9, the author parenthetically states that the word for prophet in his day, nāḇiyʾ (5030), was formerly called a seer. However, for seer, he did not use ḥôzeh but a present participle of the verb rāʾāh (7200), meaning to see, to perceive. It appears that the participles of ḥôzeh and of rāʾāh function synonymously. But, terminology aside, a seer functioned the same as a prophet, who was moved by God and had divinely given insight. This Hebrew word is also used in parallel with the word prophet (2 Kgs. 17:13; Amos 7:12, 14); hence, its meaning overlaps with that term as well (cf. 2 Chr. 33:18; Isa. 29:10). Seers sometimes served a specific person: Gad served as King David’s seer and did not hesitate to declare the words the Lord gave him for the king (2 Sam. 24:11). David had more than one seer (cf. 1 Chr. 25:5; 2 Chr. 29:25). The functions of a seer as indicated by this term included, besides receiving and reporting the word of the Lord, writing about David’s reign (1 Chr. 29:29); receiving and writing down visions (2 Chr. 9:29); writing genealogical records under Reho-boam’s reign (2 Chr. 12:15). In general, the Lord forewarned His people through His prophets and seers (2 Kgs. 17:13; 2 Chr. 33:18). In many cases, these warnings were recorded in writing (2 Chr. 33:19). Chozeh - 17v - pact(1), prophets(1), seer(12), seers(3). 2 Sam. 24:11; 2 Ki. 17:13; 1 Chr. 21:9; 1 Chr. 25:5; 1 Chr. 29:29; 2 Chr. 9:29; 2 Chr. 12:15; 2 Chr. 19:2; 2 Chr. 29:25; 2 Chr. 29:30; 2 Chr. 33:18; 2 Chr. 35:15; Isa. 28:15; Isa. 29:10; Isa. 30:10; Amos 7:12; Mic. 3:7 QUESTION - Who was Gad the seer? ANSWER - Gad the seer (or prophet) is first mentioned in 1 Samuel 22:5. Before the Holy Spirit was poured out on believers at Pentecost (Acts 2), God communicated to His people primarily through His chosen prophets. In the Old Testament, those prophets are sometimes called seers (1 Samuel 9:9). Seers were sought by kings and others in authority when they needed direction from the Lord (2 Kings 17:13; 1 Chronicles 25:5). Gad appears suddenly in the book of 1 Samuel as a consultant to David while he was on the run from Saul. At that time, Gad counsels David to leave Moab and return to Judah (1 Samuel 22:5). Gad is not mentioned again until David took the throne as the king of Israel and Gad is named as his seer (2 Samuel 24:11). At that time, kings had specific prophets whose counsel they sought, much as an American President has an advisory council. The difference is that these seers were to represent the Lord’s counsel and not merely present good advice. However, seers were not always trustworthy, and the Lord brought judgment on those who spoke from their own authority (Jeremiah 14:14–15). Gad, it appears, was an honorable man and faithfully spoke the Lord’s words to David. After David had sinned by numbering the troops, the Lord sent Gad to rebuke him and give three options of punishment (2 Samuel 24:11–14). Gad later went back to David to give him the Lord’s command about making his sin right through offering a sacrifice (2 Samuel 24:18). Gad remained loyal to David throughout his reign and is later listed as a compiler of the king’s chronicles (1 Chronicles 29:29). Gad must have been a young man when he first joined David’s band, since he outlived David and wrote a history of his life. Though rarely mentioned by name, Gad the seer may have played a crucial role in David’s success as king. His initial advice while David was on the run from Saul not only kept David safe, but it allowed David to build a reputation as a mighty warrior, making him popular with the people (1 Chronicles 12:1–22). From that, we learn that leaders need to surround themselves with wise people who understand God’s Word and can communicate God’s message accurately (see Isaiah 6:8–9; 1 Corinthians 14:1–4). For every great leader, there are nameless supporters who advise, rebuke, encourage, and warn, using their gifts for the betterment of another. Though his name is rarely mentioned, Gad’s influence is seen throughout the incredible life and successes of King David. Where David excelled, Gad’s counsel was right behind him. When David failed, Gad’s rebukes and advice quickly followed. Gad worked in harmony with God’s other influential prophet, Nathan, to keep David’s heart and life pleasing to God and worthy of the throne (2 Chronicles 29:29; 2 Samuel 12:1). Because Gad was faithful to his calling, David had the godly insights he needed to fulfill the role God called him to play. GotQuestions.org 1 Chronicles 21:10 "Go and speak to David, saying, 'Thus says the LORD, "I offer you three things; choose for yourself one of them, which I will do to you."' " choose: Jos 24:15 Pr 1:29-31 that I may: Nu 20:12 2Sa 12:10-12 1Ki 13:21,22 Pr 3:12 Rev 3:19 GOD COMMANDS GAD TO OFFER DAVID A "MULTIPLE CHOICE"! Go and speak to David, saying, 'Thus says the LORD, "I offer you three things; choose for yourself one of them, which I will do to you - God gives David a "divine multiple choice" and will carry out the one he chooses. This is a most unusual occurrence that David will be allowed to select the consequence he desires. Notice that last phrase "which I will do TO YOU!" David would personally experience the "doing" by God. While he himself did not die, clearly he knew that it was his sin of counting numbers ironically resulted in smaller numbers in Israel, almost like it was divine "poetic justice." (Poetic justice is defined in the secular world as an occasion when something bad happens to a person who seems to deserve it, usually because of bad things that person has done. Another definition says it refers to a punishment or unfavorable outcome that is particularly appropriate or ironic.) 1 Chronicles 21:11 So Gad came to David and said to him, "Thus says the LORD, 'Take for yourself TAKE YOUR CHOICE PAY THE PRICE So Gad came to David and said to him, "Thus says the LORD, 'Take for yourself - Three deadly choices are presented to David and he must choose one. 1 Chronicles 21:12 either three years of famine, or three months to be swept away before your foes, while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or else three days of the sword of the LORD, even pestilence in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.' Now, therefore, consider what answer I shall return to Him who sent me." three years' famine: Lev 26:26-29 2Sa 21:1 24:13 1Ki 17:1 2Ki 8:1 La 4:9 Lu 4:25 to be destroyed: Lev 26:17,36,37 De 28:15,25,51,52 Jer 42:16 the sword: 1Ch 21:16 Isa 66:16 Jer 12:12 47:6 pestilence: Lev 26:10,25 De 28:22,27,35 Ps 91:6 Eze 14:19-21 the angel: 1Ch 21:15,16 Ex 12:23 2Ki 19:35 Mt 13:49,50 Ac 12:23 Rev 7:1-3 Now therefore: 2Sa 24:13,14 CHOOSE FAMINE, FOES OR PESTILENCE either three years of famine, or three months to be swept away before your foes, while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or else three days of the sword of the LORD, even pestilence (deber; Lxx - thanatos = death) in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.' Now, therefore, consider what answer I shall return to Him who sent me. - Gad presents the consequences as (1) a 3 year famine (he had already experienced a 3 year famine in 2Sa 21:1 but note the parallel passage in 2Sa 24:13 says 7 years - see Archer's comment below), (2) 3 months of fleeing foes ("swept away") or (3) 3 days' of pestilence. NET Note on three days... - Heb “or three days of the sword of the LORD and plague in the land, and the messenger [or “angel”] of the LORD destroying in all the territory of Israel.” Pestilence (01698) deber from dabar = to speak) refers to plague. In the first 3 uses in Exodus deber speaks of divinely induced pestilence on Egypt (Ex 5:3, 9:3, 15). In Lev 26:25 as punishment for Israel's sin God promises "I will send pestilence among you, so that you shall be delivered into enemy hands." (Compare Nu 14:12, Dt 28:21) In 2Sa 24:13, 15 we see the pestilence was sent on Israel because of King David's sin and as a result 70,000 men died! King Solomon referred to pestilence as one of the judgments that should stimulate the people to pray asking God to hear their cries (1Ki 8:37, 2Chr 6:28). God delivers from pestilence (Ps 91:3). Pestilence is clearly a key word in the book of Jeremiah (17/48 uses in the OT) which is summed up well in Jeremiah 21:6 where God promises "I will also strike down the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast; they will die of a great pestilence." Pestilence in the English dictionary = a deadly or highly infectious epidemic outbreak usually of an infectious disease but figuratively can be an evil influence. ISBE on deber - Any sudden fatal epidemic is designated by this word, and in its Biblical use it generally indicates that these are divine visitations. The word is most frequently used in the prophetic books, and it occurs 25 times in Jeremiah and Ezekiel, always associated with the sword and famine. In 4 other passages it is combined with noisome or evil beasts, or war. In Amos 4:10 this judgment is compared with the plagues of Egypt, and in Habakkuk 3:5 it is a concomitant of the march of God from the Arabian mountain. There is the same judicial character associated with pestilence in Exodus 5:3; Exodus 9:15; Leviticus 26:25; Numbers 14:12; Deuteronomy 28:21; 2 Samuel 24:21; 1 Chronicles 21:12; Ezekiel 14:19 , Ezekiel 14:21 . In the dedication prayer of Solomon, a special value is besought for such petitions against pestilence as may be presented toward the temple (2 Chronicles 6:28 ). Such a deliverance is promised to those who put their trust in God (Psalm 91:6 ). Here the pestilence is called noisome, a shortened form of "annoysome," used in the sense of "hateful" or that which causes trouble or distress. In modern English it has acquired the sense of loathsome. "Noisome" is used by Tyndale where the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) have "hurtful" in 1 Timothy 6:9 . The Latin word pestilentia is connected with pestis , "the plague," but pestilence is used of any visitation and is not the name of any special disease; debher is applied to diseases of cattle and is translated "murrain." Gleason Archer - page 193 in New International Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties - Why is there a discrepancy in the number of years of famine mentioned in 2 Samuel 24:13 and in 1 Chronicles 21:11–12? 2 Samuel 24:13 relates the visit of the prophet Gad to King David after he had finished the census of his kingdom in a spirit of pride. Gad relays God’s message to him in the following terms: “Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? Or will you flee three months before your foes while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days’ pestilence in your land?” (NASB). To this David replies in a spirit of humble repentance, “Let us now fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man” (v.14, NASB). In 1 Chronicles 21:11–12, Gad comes to David and says to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Take for yourself either three years of famine, or three months to be swept away before your foes …, or else three days of the sword of the LORD, even pestilence in the land.’ ” (NASB). Note that the wording here is significantly different from that of 2 Samuel 24:13 (i.e., “Shall seven years of famine come to you?”). Rather than that simple question in 2 Samuel, we have it given here in 1 Chronicles as an alternative imperative (“Take for yourself either three years of famine …”). From this we may reasonably conclude that 2 Samuel records the first approach of Gad to David, in which the alternative prospect was seven years; the Chronicles account gives us the second and final approach of Nathan to the king, in which the Lord (doubtless in response to David’s earnest entreaty in private prayer) reduced the severity of that grim alternative to three years rather than an entire span of seven. As it turned out, however, David finally opted for God’s own preference (whether famine or pestilence); and God sent three days of severe pestilence, which carried off the lives of seventy thousand men of Israel. Norman Geisler - borrow When critics ask : a popular handbook on Bible difficulties - 2 SAMUEL 24:13—Why are the numbers of the years of the famine different from those in 1 Chronicles 21? PROBLEM: God spoke to Gad and instructed him to offer David three alternative punishments for his sin. According to 2 Samuel 24:13, the famine was to be seven years. However, according to 1 Chronicles 21:12, the famine was to be three years. Which one of these is correct? SOLUTION: There are two possible ways to reconcile these accounts. Some commentators propose that the prophet Gad actually confronted David on two occasions. This proposal is based on the difference in language used to present the alternatives to David. In the 2 Samuel passage, Gad presents the alternatives as a question, “Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land” (2Sa 24:13). In the 1 Chronicles passage the alternatives are presented more along the lines of a command, “Choose for yourself, either three years of famine, or three months to be defeated” (1Ch 21:11–12). Those who offer this solution assume that perhaps the 2 Samuel passage records the first encounter of Gad and David in which the alternatives are presented for David’s consideration, and that after some fasting and prayer, Gad returned for David’s decision by which time God had reduced the duration of the famine from seven to three years in response to David’s supplication. Another group of commentators suggests that the record in 2 Samuel is a copyist error. They point out that there are more reliable manuscripts which preserve the number “three” for the duration of the famine and that the NIV has employed this manuscript reading in its translation. 1 Chronicles 21:13 David said to Gad, "I am in great distress; please let me fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are very great. But do not let me fall into the hand of man." I am in: 2Ki 6:15 7:4 Es 4:11,16 Joh 12:27 Php 1:23 let me fall: Heb 10:31 great: or, many, Ex 34:6,7 Ps 5:7 51:1,2 69:13,16 86:5,15 103:8 106:7 130:7 Isa 55:7 63:7,15 La 3:32 Jon 3:9 4:2 Mic 7:18 Hab 3:2 but let me: 2Ch 28:9 Pr 12:10 Isa 46:7 47:6 DAVID CHOOSES TO FALL INTO YAHWEH'S HAND David said to Gad, "I am in great distress; Why is David so upset? He grasps the consequences of his sin and how it will impact his entire nation. One cannot imagine how heavily this weighed on his heart! Please let me fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are very great. But do not let me fall into the hand of man." In one sense all 3 choices were under the sovereign control of Yahweh, but David sees the best option as throwing himself and his nation into the hands of the LORD, because he knows the heart of God is filled with great mercies (plural not singular)! TSK note - David here acted nobly: had he chosen war, his personal safety was in no danger, as there was an ordinance preventing him from going to battle; and in famine, his wealth would have secured his and his family's support; but all were equally exposed to the pestilence. 1 Chronicles 21:14 So the LORD sent a pestilence on Israel; 70,000 men of Israel fell. So the LORD sent Nu 16:46-49 2Sa 24:15 seventy: Ex 12:30 Nu 25:9 1Sa 6:19 2Ki 19:35 THE REVERBERATING CONSEQUENCES OF PERSONAL SIN! So the LORD sent a pestilence (deber; Lxx - thanatos = death) on Israel; 70,000 men of Israel fell - 2 Samuel 24:15 says "So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning until the appointed time, and seventy thousand men of the people from Dan to Beersheba died." - True to His promise, Yahweh sent the plague on all the land, from the north to the south with a death toll of 70,000, all because of David's sin! The consequences to a nation can be horrible when the leader sins against God. America are you listening? (see mentions of God in the Democratic Party Platform) QUESTION - What is the meaning of pestilence in the Bible? ANSWER - Pestilence is a deadly disaster, usually a disease, that affects an entire community. Pestilence is contagious, virulent, and devastating. For example, the Black Plague in Europe that killed over thirty percent of the population during the late Middle Ages was a pestilence. In the Bible, pestilence is usually a sign of God’s judgment on a nation or people group (Deuteronomy 32:24; 1 Chronicles 21:12; Ezekiel 7:14–15). The God who protects and blesses is also the God who sends disaster and pestilence when it accomplishes His righteous purposes on earth (Isaiah 45:7; Ezekiel 5:16–17; Amos 4:10). Pestilence is promised as part of God’s final judgment on the world in Revelation 18:8. The word translated “pestilence” is often translated as “plague” or “disaster” in new versions of the English Bible. However, because the word is often paired with both of those, it may imply a greater devastation than mere physical disease. Pestilence incorporates any and all forms of public and mass destruction and often accompanies famine (Ezekiel 7:15) or war (Jeremiah 21:9). Jesus forewarned of pestilence when He described the end times (Luke 21:11). After David’s sinful census, the Lord brought judgment upon Israel in the form of pestilence: “The Lord sent a pestilence on Israel from the morning until the appointed time. And there died of the people from Dan to Beersheba 70,000 men” (2 Samuel 24:15, ESV). God had also sent pestilence in the aftermath of Korah’s rebellion (Numbers 16:49) and as a judgment for Israel’s immorality at Baal Peor (Numbers 25:9), but the epidemic recorded in 2 Samuel 24 was the most deadly ever to hit the Israelites. Then God had mercy and halted the judgment: “When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the LORD relented concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was afflicting the people, ‘Enough! Withdraw your hand’” (verse 16). Our sovereign God is Lord of any pestilence (Habakkuk 3:5). Knowing that God is in control, we do not need to fear, whatever happens (see Psalm 91:5–6). Believers are not immune from the effects of living in a fallen world, but we are assured that “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). God may test our faith through a time of pestilence, but Christians know such an ordeal is not God’s judgment on them (see 1 Corinthians 11:32; James 1:3; 1 Peter 1:7). Among the various forms of judgment that God brings upon the unrighteous and rebellious is pestilence. Not every epidemic is the direct judgment of God, but the Bible indicates that some instances of pestilence in history have been a punishment for sin. God sent pestilence to punish the Israelites for their ongoing idolatry and disobedience (Deuteronomy 32:24; Jeremiah 42:22), and during the tribulation He will send pestilence to punish the unrepentant: “The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image” (Revelation 16:2; cf. Revelation 18:8; Matthew 24:7). 1 Chronicles 21:15 And God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it; but as he was about to destroy it, the LORD saw and was sorry over the calamity, and said to the destroying angel, "It is enough; now relax your hand." And the angel of the LORD was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. to Jerusalem: 2Sa 24:16 Jer 7:12 26:9,18 Mt 23:37,38 was sorry: Ge 6:6 Ex 32:14 Jdg 2:18 10:16 Ps 78:38 Jer 18:7-10 Jon 4:2 It is enough: Ex 9:28 1Ki 19:4 Ps 90:13 Mk 14:41 Ornan: 2Sa 24:18, Araunah, 2Ch 3:1 ANGEL OF THE LORD'S HAND TOWARD JERUSALEM And God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it; but as he was about to destroy it, the LORD saw and was sorry over the calamity, and said to the destroying angel, "It is enough; now relax your hand." - David had appealed to the mercy of the LORD, and now he was a beneficiary of it as God called a halt to His wrath just as the Angel of the LORD was about to strike David's City. And the angel of the LORD was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite - This is a parenthetical statement introducing a geographic site what would have great import in the history of Israel (even to this day for the Dome of the Rock is located there). This site was destined to become the most valuable piece of property in the world.