Couple questions about this passage:
(1) v.1-9 Why was it wrong for a king to know the number of his army?
(NET) The adversary in 1 Chr 21:1 [parallel passage to 2 Samuel 24] is likely a human enemy, probably a nearby nation whose hostility against Israel pressured David into numbering the people so he could assess his military strength.
The answer may be found in Joab's persuasion:
24:3 Joab replied to the king, “May the LORD your God make the army a hundred times larger right before the eyes of my lord the king! But why does my master the king want to do this?”
In other words, when David went to war they did not rely on the massive size of their army. They relied on the LORD, who is the God who made the covenant with Israel. When David attempted to count his army, he wanted to feel confident by the human's aids.
(BKC) And herein lay the sin—he probably did this so he could boast in human might.
Reflection: Why is your sinful way of boosting up yourself when you face challenges? Do you look up your bank account and tell yourself everything will be alright? Or do you look at your resources and think that you can rely on those things and get through the pandemic? Just like what Joab's reminder to David, we should trust God. He promised to have everything work together for those who love Him (Rom 8:28).
Since it is too long, I will save the rest of the questions for tomorrow.
(2) Why did God punish the people instead of David? v.17
(3) Had the plague already finished when the angel started to destroy Jerusalem v.15,16?
(4) Why did the author record the transaction between Araunah and David? Why did David insist to buy everything that he used for offering v.24?
v.24 “No, I insist on buying it from you! I will not offer to the LORD my God burnt sacrifices that cost me nothing.”
(5) Why burnt sacrifices and peace offerings? Not sin offerings?
Audrey
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