1 Chronicles 21

criAP. xxx. THE FIRST BOOK OP THE CHRONICLES.

1 Chronicles 21:1

Jk.ND Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. It “is said in 2 Sam.xxiv. 1. that God, being angry witb Israel, moved David: that is, suffered Satan to move him. This is sufficiently explained there: only here the phrase stood up is to be observed. Which was the posture of those who charged and accused any person of a crime in a court of justice. (See 1 Kings xxii. 21.) Thus Satan is represented as the accuser of the. brethren, in the book of the Revelation: and here to lay some sin to the charge of the Israelites, which he represented to God as a reason to punish them: for it is the way of the Holy Scripture thus to bring down these things, and accommodate them to the lowest capacities.

1 Chronicles 21:2

And David said to Joab, and to the rulers of the people. Who, it is plain by 2 Sam. xxi v. 4. were with Joab when the king gave this command. Go, number Israel, from Beer-sheba even iinto Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.

1 Chronicles 21:3

And Joab answered, The Lord make his people a hundred times so many as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s sewants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?] See what I have noted upon 2 Sam. xxiv. 3. It is something strange that Joab should see the danger of this, and David not think of it; no, not when it was so plainly represented to him. But the best men are sometimes very drowsy, and apprehend not those things which plainly appear to those who are not so good.

1 Chronicles 21:4

Nevertheless, the king’s word prevailed against Joab: wherefore Joab departed, and went through all Israel, and came to Jerusalem. Unto which they came at the end of nine months and twenty days, as is more largely related in 2 Sam. xxiv. from ver. 4. to 9.

1 Chronicles 21:5

And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David* And all they of Israel were a thoxtsand thousand and a hundred thousand men that dreiv sword; and J udah were four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sivord.] This account of their number differs much from that given in 2 Sam. xxiv. 9. concerning which sec what I have there noted. Ver. G. But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them.] Some think he took no account of Levi because they were not warriors, and such only as were fit for war, David desired to be satisfied how many they were. And Benjamin they think was so diminished in the time of the judges, that they were to be spared. But these, it wxre easy to shew, are not good reasons; and no other reason is to be sought for,’than that given here in the very next words. For the king’s word was abominable to Joab.] He did all this against his will, and at last the work was so odious to him, that he was quite tired with it: and therefore broke off before he took the number of these tw r o tribes.

1 Chronicles 21:7

And Godivas displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel. He resolved to punish them, because it was for their sins that God permitted David to indulge himself in this vanity.

1 Chronicles 21:8

And David said ttnto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy sei-vant; for I have done very foolishly. See 2 Sam. xxiv. 10. where I have explained this, and given the best account I could of the nature of this sin.

1 Chronicles 21:9

And the Lord spake unto Gad, David’s seer, saying. This is expressed a little more largely in 2 Sam. xxiv. 11. (See there.)

1 Chronicles 21:10

Go and tell David, saying, Thus saith the Lord, 1 offer thee three things, choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee. He speaks to him so solemnly in the name of the Lord, that he might attend the more seriously to what he said, and look upon it as peremptorily resolved.

1 Chronicles 21:11

So Gad came to David, and said tinto him, Thus saith the Lord, Choose thee.

1 Chronicles 21:12

Either three years 9 famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes (while that the sivord of thine enemies overtaketh thee); or else three days the sicord of the Lord, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel.. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.] In the book of Samuel it is said, the prophet propounded seven years of famine, and here but three. Of which difference I have given an account in 2 Sam. xxiv. 13.

1 Chronicles 21:13

And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the Lord (for very great are his mercies); but let me not fall into the hand of 7nan. See there, upon ver. 14. I only add here, that the pestilence is more properly called the hand of the Lord, than other common calamities: for they have visible causes, but none know whence this sudden destruction comes, but immediately from the hand of God; when there is no alteration that w/e can see in the air, or other elements (as we call them). And therefore the angel of the Lord is said to have smote the army of Sennacherib with such a pestilence, as Josephus reasonably conjectures.

1 Chronicles 21:14

So the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousaud men. This is more largely expressed in 2 Sam. xxiv. 15. (Sec my annotations there.)

1 Chronicles 21:15

And GodsetU an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it; and, asheivas destroying, the Lord beheld. Thisjseems to import that there were more.angels than one employed to. destroy in several places of the country: and that, the; angelsent to Jerusalem had begun to slay some of the.in-: habitants: but God took pity of them; beholding, perhaps, their serious repentance. And he repented him of the. evil, and said to ihe angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the Lord stood by the thrashing-floor of Oman tlie Jehusite.] See there up&a yer. 16.

1 Chronicles 21:16

And David lifted tip his eyes, and saw the angel of the Lord stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand. \Vhence the pestilence is called, (ver. 12.) the sword of the Lord. Stretched put over Jerusalem.] As ready to do execution upon the people there. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.] It appears by their habit, that they (and the people of Jerusalem with them, yer. 15.) were humbling themselves before God for their sins, and deprecating his displeasure: for mourners were wont to clothe themselves in sackcloth.

1 Chronicles 21:17

And David said unto God, 1$ it not I that commanded the people to be. numbered? even lit is that have sinned, and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O Lord my God, be on me, and on my father’s house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued.] See 2 Sam. xxiv. 17.'.

1 Chronicles 21:18

Then the angel of the Lord commanded Gad to say to David. This seems to signify that Gad was sent upon his former message (ver. 9.) by an angel, who came with that command from God. Tltat David should go, and set up an altar unto the Lord in the thrashing-floor of Oman the Jebnsite.] Sec there, ver. 18.

1 Chronicles 21:19

And David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spake in the name of the Lord. See there, ver. 19.

1 Chronicles 21:20

And Oman turned back, andsawthe angel; and his four sons tuith him hid themselves. Or, when he saw the angel, he turned his face from him (as did his four sons, who likewise saw him); being afraid at so glorious an appearance. This book, as I. observed, in the beginning, supplies some things omitted in the book of Samuel, among which this is one. For nothing is said there of Araunah’s seeing the angel, but only of David’s seeing him. Now Oman was thrashing wheat.] For the greatest persons did not, in those days, disdain such employments.

1 Chronicles 21:21

And as David came to Oman, Oman looked, and saw David, and went out of the thrashing-floor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground. See 2 Sam. xxiv. 20.

1 Chronicles 21:22

Then David said to Oman, Grant me the place of this thrashing-floor, that I may build an altar therein unto the Lord. This he said, after Ornan had first desired, to know the cause of his coming to him. Thou shall grant it me for the full price, that the plague may be stayed from the people.] By offering a sacrifice to appease the Divine anger. (See ver. 21.)

1 Chronicles 21:23

And Ornan said unto David, Take it to thee, and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes: lo, I give thee the oxen also for burnt-offerings, and the. thrashing-instruments for wood, and the wheat for Me meatoffering; I give it all.] He offered the ground to the king, as a free’gift; with every thing that was necessary for sacrifice. (See 2 Sam. xxiv. 22, 23.)’ •,

1 Chronicles 21:24

And king David said to Ornan, Nay; hut I, will verily buy it for the full price: for I will not take that which is thine for the Lord, nor offer burnt-offerings without cost*

1 Chronicles 21:25

So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight. This confutes their opinion, who think there were no shekels but of silver. See 2 Sam. xxiv. 24..where I have shewn that this account of the sum of money which he paid, doth not disagree, with that which is given there in that place.

1 Chronicles 21:26

And David built, there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings. See there, ver. 25. And called upon the Lord.] By thanksgivings for his mercy, beseeching the continuance of it. And he answered him from heavenby fire upon the altar of burnt-offering.] This was the highest token of God’s gracious acceptance of any sacrifice. (Sec Lev. ix. 24.) The Jews say thus God consumed the sacrifices of Abel, and of Noab, and of Abraham, when they first dedicated altars to him. It is certain from the Holy Scriptures, thus God testified his acceptance of the sacrifices of Gideon and Elijah in ancient times: which Julian himself had not tHe hardiness to deny. (See St. Cyril, contra Julianum, lib.x.) And indeed this was known by the heathens: for Servius upon Virg. iEneid. xii. ver. 200. saith, that in the old temples sacrifices were no other ways consumed, “quarnignc divino precibus impetrato,” than by Divine fire obtained by, prayers. (See other testimonies out of heathen antiquity, in Huetius’s Quscst. Alnetanae, p. 216, &e.)

1 Chronicles 21:27

And the Lord commanded the angel, and he put up his sword into the sheath thereof. Which, it seems, was brandished over Jerusalem, till this sacrifice was offered.

1 Chronicles 21:28

At that time, when David saw that the Lord had answered him in the thrashing-floor of Ornan the Jebnsite, then he sacrificed there. That is, he continued to offer his sacrifices in that place, where tliere was such a manifest appearance of God, and a testimony of his acceptance of his sacrifices. So that from this time he did not go to GU beon, where sacrifices were wont to.be offered upon the brazen altar: which, as it follows, was then there, together with the table, the candlestick, and the fire that came down from heaven in the days of Moses: (as Seder Olam Rabba saith, cap. 14.) and here Zadok and his brethren ministered, while the ark w T as in Zion, and with them Heman and others, (xvi. 39—41.)

1 Chronicles 21:29

For the tabernacle of the Lord, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of the burnt-offering, were at that time in the high place at Gibeon. TheTargurn calls this high place the sanctuary in Gibeon: for this word comprehended the whole sacred house, as in 1 Sam. ix. 13.

1 Chronicles 21:30

But David could not go before it to inquire of God. He thought it not fit to go thither at this time, though that was.thc place to which they always resorted to beg mercy of God by sacrifice. For he was afraid, because of the sword of the angel of the Lord.] As he thought God had consecrated this place for his service, and that he ought immediately to sacrifice \ 4E2 A COMMENTARY UPON [chap. XXII. here, and not stay till he could go to Gibeon; so perhaps ho thought there might still be danger, that the angel might smite Jerusalem, if he did not continue to worship God here: where he knew, by somo means or other, God intended his temple should be built for his perpetual honour in this place. The altar also now erected here was set up by the command of God, as well as that of Moses: so that he thought ho might most acceptably servo God here.