Matthew Henry Commentary 2 Samuel 24
Matthew Henry Commentary
2 Samuel 24
Matthew Henry Commentary
2 Samuel 24
"And again the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them, saying, Go, number Israel and Judah. And the king said to Joab the captain of the host, who was with him, Go now to and fro through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the sum of the people. And Joab said unto the king, Now Jehovah thy God add unto the people, how many soever they may be, a hundredfold; and may the eyes of my lord the king see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing? Notwithstanding, the king`s word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel. And they passed over the Jordan, and encamped in Aroer, on the right side of the city that is in the middle of the valley of Gad, and unto Jazer: then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi; and they came to Dan-jaan, and round about to Sidon, and came to the stronghold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites; and they went out to the south of Judah, at Beer-sheba. So when they had gone to and from through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. And Joab gave up the sum of the numbering of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men." — 2 Samuel 24:1-9 (ASV)
Because of the people's sin, David was allowed to act wrongly, and in his chastisement, they received punishment. This example sheds light on God's government of the world and provides a useful lesson.
The pride of David's heart was his sin in numbering the people. He thought by this action to appear more formidable, trusting in an arm of flesh more than he should have, even though he had written so much about trusting in God alone. God does not judge sin as we do. What appears to us as harmless, or at least merely a small offense, may be a great sin in God's sight, who discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Even ungodly people can discern evil tempers and wrong conduct in believers, of which believers themselves often remain unaware. But God seldom allows those whom He loves the pleasures they sinfully covet.
"And David`s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto Jehovah, I have sinned greatly in that which I have done: but now, O Jehovah, put away, I beseech thee, the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly. And when David rose up in the morning, the word of Jehovah came unto the prophet Gad, David`s seer, saying, Go and speak unto David, Thus saith Jehovah, I offer thee three things: choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee. So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thy foes while they pursue thee? or shall there be three days` pestilence in thy land? now advise thee, and consider what answer I shall return to him that sent me. And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of Jehovah; for his mercies are great; and let me not fall into the hand of man. So Jehovah sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed; and there died of the people from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men." — 2 Samuel 24:10-15 (ASV)
It is well, when a person has sinned, if they have a heart within to convict them for it. If we confess our sins, we may pray in faith that God would forgive them, and take away, by pardoning mercy, the sin that we cast away by sincere repentance. Whatever we make the source of our pride, it is just for God to take it from us, or make it bitter to us, and make it our punishment.
This must be a punishment in which the people have a large share, for though it was David's sin that opened the sluice, the sins of the people all contributed to the flood. In this difficulty, David chose a judgment that came immediately from God, whose mercies he knew to be very great, rather than one from men, who would have triumphed in the miseries of Israel, and would have been thereby hardened in their idolatry.
He chose the pestilence; he and his family would be as much exposed to it as the poorest Israelite; and he would continue for a shorter time under the divine rebuke, however severe it was. The rapid destruction by the pestilence shows how easily God can bring down the proudest sinners, and how much we owe daily to divine patience.
"And when the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, Jehovah repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough; now stay thy hand. And the angel of Jehovah was by the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite. And David spake unto Jehovah when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done perversely; but these sheep, what have they done? let thy hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father`s house." — 2 Samuel 24:16-17 (ASV)
Perhaps there was more wickedness (especially more pride) in Jerusalem than elsewhere, and that was the sin then chastised. Therefore, the hand of the destroyer was stretched out upon that city; but the Lord repented of the evil, not changing His mind, but His way.
In the very place where Abraham was stopped from slaying his son, this angel, by a similar countermand, was stopped from destroying Jerusalem. It is for the sake of the great Sacrifice that our forfeited lives are preserved from the destroying angel.
And in David is the spirit of a true shepherd of the people, offering himself as a sacrifice to God for the salvation of his subjects.
"And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto Jehovah in the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite. And David went up according to the saying of Gad, as Jehovah commanded. And Araunah looked forth, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground. And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshing-floor of thee, to build an altar unto Jehovah, that the plague may be stayed from the people. And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, the oxen for the burnt-offering, and the threshing instruments and the yokes of the oxen for the wood: all this, O king, doth Araunah give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, Jehovah thy God accept thee. And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will verily buy it of thee at a price. Neither will I offer burnt-offerings unto Jehovah my God which cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. And David built there an altar unto Jehovah, and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings. So Jehovah was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel." — 2 Samuel 24:18-25 (ASV)
God's encouraging us to offer spiritual sacrifices to him is evidence of his reconciling us to himself. David purchased the ground to build the altar. God hates robbery for burnt offering. Those do not know what religion is who are chiefly concerned with making it cheap and easy for themselves, and who are best pleased with what costs them the least effort or money.
For what purpose do we have our substance, if not to honour God with it; and how can it be better bestowed? Consider the building of the altar and the offering of proper sacrifices upon it. Burnt offerings to the glory of God's justice; peace offerings to the glory of his mercy.
Christ is our Altar, our Sacrifice; in him alone we may expect to escape his wrath and to find favour with God. Death is destroying all around, in so many forms and so suddenly, that it is madness not to expect and prepare for the close of life.
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