2 Samuel 24
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
2 Samuel 24
NJB (MT versing) The Census Taken David's Census of Israel and Judah The Census, the Plague David Takes a Census The Census 24:1-9 24:1-4 24:1-9 24:1-2 24:1-4 24:3-4 24:5-9 24:5-9 24:5-8 24:9 The Judgment on David's Sin The Pestilence. God's Forgiveness 24:10-14 24:10-14 24:10-14 24:10 24:10-15a 24:11-13 Pestilence Sent 24:14-16 24:15-17 24:15-17 24:15-17 24:15b-17 David Builds An Altar The Altar on the Threshing Floor The Building of The Altar 24:17 The Building of an Altar 24:18-25 24:18-25 24:18-23 24:18-21a 24:18-23 24:21b 24:22-23 24:24-25 24:24-25 24:24-25 Etc. CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS This chapter (2 Samuel 24) is parallel to 1 Chronicles 21. Here is a link to my exegetical notes from 1 Chronicles 21. I will comment here only on the differences between the two accounts.
2 Samuel 24:1-9
24:1 "the anger of the Lord" This chapter has several anthropomorphic phrases. the anger of YHWH, v. 1 the hand of YHWH, vv. 14,17 YHWH relented, v. 16 SPECIAL TOPIC: THE PROBLEMS AND LIMITATIONS OF HUMAN LANGUAGE SPECIAL TOPIC: ANTHROPOMORPHIC LANGUAGE TO DESCRIBE DEITY ▣ "number" There are two possibilities as to why this act was a sin. The people did not fulfill Exod. 30:12 (see Josephus, Antiq. 7.13.1). It was a faithless act on David's part failing to acknowledge that it was YHWH bringing the victory, not the number of Israeli soldiers. 24:5-8 This geographical information is lacking in the 1 Chronicles 21 parallel. 24:6 NASB, JPSOA "the land of Tahtim-hodshi" "the land of Tahtim Hodshi" "Kadesh in the land of the Hittites" "Kadesh in Hittite territory" REB, NJB, LXX "the land of the Hittites, to Kadesh" "the land of the Hittites" The UBS Text Project, p. 284, gives the LXX version a "C" rating (considerable doubt). There is no place name that fits the MT version. Some scholars suppose that "Hodshi" may be a corrupt form of "month" (חדשׁ, BDB 294, v. 18) and thereby the phrase is a time reference (see NIDOTTE, vol. 2, p. 30). 24:7 "Hivites and Canaanites" See SPECIAL TOPIC: PRE-ISRAELITE INHABITANTS OF PALESTINE. 24:9 The numbers are very different between 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21. One wonders if a different textual tradition is behind one of them. See note at v. 13. ▣ "seer" See SPECIAL TOPIC: PROPHET (the different Hebrew terms). 24:13 "seven years" The LXX and 1 Chr. 21:12 have "three years." This "three" may correspond to the three things of v. 12 the three months of v. 13 the three days of v. 13 The UBS Text Project, p. 286, gives the MT's "seven years" a "B" rating (some doubt). The number differences can be caused by copyist's error different traditions of Hebrew texts A new book that has helped me deal with these issues is John H. Walton and D. Brent Sandy, The Lost World of Scripture, which deals with how oral cultures, such as the ANE, pass on their traditions. If these number issues are a faith problem to you, please read this book. When it comes to the number problems related to the reigns of kings, please consult Edwin R. Thiele, The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings.
2 Samuel 24:10-14
24:14 "but do not let me fall into the hand of man" It is possible that the "adversary" mentioned in 1 Chr. 21:1 was not "Satan" (there is no DEFINITE ARTICLE) but a close neighboring nation that David feared.
2 Samuel 24:15-17
24:15 "the appointed time" This probably refers to the time of the evening "continual," about 3 pm (i.e., 1 Kgs. 18:29,36; Dan. 9:21; Acts 3:1). 24:16 "Araunah the Jebusite" The MT has האורנה (the Qere form is ארונה, BDB 72, which most versions accept). Jebusites were the Canaanite inhabitants of Jebus, later Jerusalem. The citadel was not captured until David's reign. SPECIAL TOPIC: MORIAH, SALEM, JEBUS, JERUSALEM, ZION 24:17 "David saw the angel" As I read this chapter I wonder if this spiritual sight is connected to Joab's words of v. 3, "while the eyes of my lord the king still see." Sin causes the sinner to not be able to perceive the spiritual realm. It is surely possible that v. 3 refers only to physical life!