2 Samuel 24

(1) The LORD’s anger again raged against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go count Israel and Judah.”

(2) Why did God punish the people instead of David? v.17

From the words of the LORD in v.12, all the judgement was actually against him.

v.12b Pick one of them and I will carry it out against you.’ ”

In what sense they were against David?

v.13b “Shall seven years of famine come upon your land? Or shall you flee for three months from your enemy with him in hot pursuit? Or shall there be three days of plague in your land?

Note the pronoun, "your," in your land and your enemy.  They were punished because they were yours. I guess targeting your people made you more upset than targeting you. That's why David answered:

24:14 David said to Gad, “I am very upset! I prefer that we be attacked by the LORD, for his mercy is great; I do not want to be attacked by men!”

Reflection: The influence of the king over his country was probably more than we could perceive.  Since the land/people were given to be under David's "account" and therefore they were destroyed because of his sin. The number of people were cut down and so was the kingdom of David.  Pray for our president, our governor, and those who have influence over us today. 

(3) Had the plague already finished when the angel started to destroy Jerusalem v.15,16?

v. 15 So the LORD sent a plague through Israel from the morning until the completion of the appointed time. Seventy thousand men died from Dan to Beer Sheba. 24:16 When the angel extended his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the LORD relented from his judgment. He told the angel who was killing the people, “That’s enough! Stop now!” (Now the LORD’s angel was near the threshing floor of Araunah the  Jebusite.)

Originally, the plague was set for 3 days v.13. After the 3 days 70,000 men died v.15. How did that end on the 3rd day? It was stopped when God asked the angel to stop when the angel was killing the people in Jerusalem v.16. 

Reflection: Although David got what he deserved God had mercy. They were not just David's people, but they were also God's people. When we suffer, certainly, God will see that, too. He is a merciful God and remembers us, as His people.

(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.” 

I think David knew exactly that the plague was targeting him and he personally should pay for the sacrifice in order to make it stop.

(5) Why burnt sacrifices and peace offerings? Not sin offerings? 

(BDAG) the whole burnt-offering (beast or fowl) is entirely consumed and goes up in the flame of the altar to God expressing the ascent of the soul in worship. All of the victim is laid on the altar except the hide and such parts as could not be washed clean. 

David refused to offer something that cost him nothing. Sacrifices were meaningful to him because they were his. At the end of his life, David remembered that he was given such an important task to be the king of his people. His sin cost the lives of his people. To dedicate himself under God/atone from his sins, he also needed to pay for the sacrifices. 

Audrey

2024

v.1-14

B:

1. God's anger was against Israel, not against David v.1

24 The LORD’s anger again raged against Israel, and he incited David against them,

(NET) The parallel text in 1 Chr 21:1 says, “An adversary opposed Israel, inciting David to count how many warriors Israel had.”... The adversary in 1 Chr 21:1 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. 

2. The counting was an assessment of the military strength (the counting is on the number of men百姓, but in v.9 they were specifically those who are sword-wielding men)

9 Joab reported the number of warriors to the king. In Israel there were 800,000 sword-wielding warriors, and in Judah there were 500,000 soldiers. 

3. Questions

a. Why the assessing the military strength was guilty (even Joab and the leaders knew it was wrong v.3-4)?

v.3May 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?” 

v.10 David felt guilty after he had numbered the army

(NAC) Since the Lord explicitly permitted censuses to be taken and even ordered their undertaking in the Torah (cf. Num 1:2; 4:2, 22; 26:2), David’s sin does not seem to lie in the mere fact that he conducted one.

(BKC) And herein lay the sin—he probably did this so he could boast in human might. This may be implied in Joab’s query as to why the census was to be undertaken. God was able, Joab said, to multiply their troops as much as necessary, so why did David feel the need to assess his strength?

b. When Israel sin (unspecified sin and not mentioned in v.1) against God, then God was angry of Israel by inciting David to do something that was guilty of not-trusting Him so that He could punish Israel (and David) for their sins?? Why not just punish them when they sinned? 

The focus is on David and his confession before God brought the judgment

10 David felt guilty...11 When David got up the next morning, the LORD’s message had already come to the prophet Gad, David’s seer: 12 “Go, tell David, ‘This is what the LORD says:

The unspecific sin of Israel might be related to David's boasting. The indicting to access the military power was alongside the previous sin of Israel and David. Therefore, God wanted David to realize his underlying sin and punishment came when he realized that. 

c. Why did God give David the choice of judgments? 

(NAC) [To show that] God could use the forces of weather to bring “seven [NIV, “three”] years of famine” (v. 13)...Alternatively, the Lord could use human instrumentality to bring about “three months of fleeing from your enemies while they pursue you.” Finally, the Lord could act apart from famine and sword to bring a third apocalyptic horseman, “three days of plague” (v. 13).

(EBC) Wanting more land and more people to rule, David finds himself with 70,000 fewer subjects

The punishment of the crime usually fits the crime. First, the size of his troops will be diminished anyway under either one of the choices. Second, the sin was the ego of David. These 3 forms of judgment would let him see Who God is and What He can control. To realize that in he form of judgment will leave no room for David's boasting. 

d. Was the nature of famine and the plague the same? Why only the plague was classified as "attacked by the LORD" but not the famine? 

v.14b I prefer that we be attacked by the LORD, for his mercy is great; I do not want to be attacked by human hands!” 

15 So the LORD sent a plague through Israel

(EBC) only in the pestilence—some form of plague sudden and mysterious in its attack, and baffling the medical knowledge of the time—would the punishment come directly from God, and depend immediately upon His Will

e. Did the angel destroy Jerusalem beyond the appointed time? (see below)

Conclusion: It was the sin of Israel, but probably also the sin of the king. When David realized his sin of counting the choices of punishment was announced. The ego of David faced the choices of punishment which showed the sovereignty of God. When he made the difficult choice, he chose to be under the hand God for He is mercy.  The result proved that he was right. God stopped before the full punishment was done. 

R:

Do I have any hidden pride or ego? Do I come short in the realization of the sovereignty of God?

God will not let our sin go uncovered for very long. 

To see the punishment falls on the flock itself was a punishment. Do I want to put them in that position?

v.15-25

B:

When did the plague stop?

In this whole passage, the pattern of waw+imperfect are used. That means it is a consecutive event except the second sentence in v.15 (like what NET bible translated)

15 So the LORD sent a plague through Israel from the morning until the completion of the appointed time, and 70,000 people died from Dan to Beer Sheba.

Is this just a summary statement? From v.16-25 the plague is still going on.

16 When the angel extended his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the LORD relented from his judgment. He told the angel who was killing the people, “That’s enough! Stop now!” (Now the angel of the LORD was near the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.) 

When the angel was near the threshing floor God told the angel to stop, but does it mean just to stop destroying J, or the stop the plague over all the area? Again, from v.17-25 the plague is still going on.

17 When he saw the angel who was destroying the people, David said to the LORD, “Look, it is I who have sinned and done this evil thing! As for these sheep—what have they done? Attack me and my family.”

After the LORD told the angle to stop, David saw the angel who was destroying the people. He pleaded to God again (after v.10). The angel was destroying the people=David felt guilty after he had numbered the army, same verb, smite. In order words, the first time David turned to God was because he was smitten when he realized his sin. Now, when the angel smote the people, David rather the angel smote him because it was his sin that caused this to happen. 

When David went up to Araunah to build the altar there...v.21b David replied, “To buy from you the threshing floor so I can build an altar for the LORD, so that the plague may be removed from the people...25 Then David built an altar for the LORD there and offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings. And the LORD accepted prayers for the land, and the plague was removed from Israel. 

The plague was finally removed from Israel when the altar was built and the sacrifices were offered. 

Conclusion: 

David and his servants smote their enemies with great success, but when he and his country sinned they would also be smitten by God. God was the ultimate ruler over Israel.  

David was right. God is merciful, but He is also just. The plague was a judgment for sins. Only the sacrifice will satisfy His anger. 

Sacrifice also cost us. If no, there is no sacrifice.

Q:

1/Compare verse 1 with 1 Chronicles 21:1, which sheds light o David's sin in this chapter. Why is numbering the tribe wrong? 

(NET) The parallel text in 1 Chr 21:1 says, “An adversary opposed Israel, inciting David to count how many warriors Israel had.”... The adversary in 1 Chr 21:1 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. 

(BKC) And herein lay the sin—he probably did this so he could boast in human might. This may be implied in Joab’s query as to why the census was to be undertaken. God was able, Joab said, to multiply their troops as much as necessary, so why did David feel the need to assess his strength?

2/What is Joab's wise advice? 

see above

3/What is David's estimate of the numbering? 

v.9 In Israel there were 800,000 sword-wielding warriors, and in Judah there were 500,000 soldiers. 

4/What three choices is he given? On what basis does he make his choice? 

[To show that] God could use the forces of weather to bring “seven [NIV, “three”] years of famine” (v. 13)...Alternatively, the Lord could use human instrumentality to bring about “three months of fleeing from your enemies while they pursue you.” Finally, the Lord could act apart from famine and sword to bring a third apocalyptic horseman, “three days of plague” (v. 13).

5/What evidences of David's greatness are indicated in verses 17, 19, 24? 

v.17 He confessed his sin when he saw that the judgment was imminent, even though it was not just targeted at his own family. 

v.19 He did according to what God instructed him to do to restore their relationship

v.24 He insist to pay for his own sacrifices. 

6/To what extent are intercession, obedience, and sacrifice part of your daily life with God?

Intercession, esp for my own flock take up an important part of my prayers, but should be more often

obedience is sometimes taken over by own flesh, but if I realize my dire situation like David, I think it is vital for me to do the same. 

My sacrifice to God is always Jesus. Only by His blood my judgment can be lifted.

7/Summarize David's a-strengths and b-weaknesses. What are the consequences of his sins? 

David was a man of great courage and keeping his promise.

David was a man after God's own heart and God made a perpetual covenant with his family. However, he was not immune from sin. When he was under the judgment of God he knew it very well and would not revenge the tool God used to punish him. He still chose to be judged under God's merciful hand.

His respect to God could be seen by how he treated Saul, the anointed one by God even though he was threatening David's life. 

David was also a person who did not just let things half done. He did it well. 

The consequence of his sin was mainly in his family. His son raped his sister, and the other son killed his brother. Eventually his son took over his kingdom and was himself killed by David's rebellion commander. 

8/Summarize what David has accomplished for Israel.

He was strong in military strength and expanded the territory of Israel. It brought them peace, wealth, and respect from other nations. 

He ruled with godly and blameless deeds 22:21.