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Texts -- 1 Chronicles 21:1-17 (NET)

Context
The Lord Sends a Plague against Israel
21:1 An adversary opposed Israel , inciting David to count how many warriors Israel had. 21:2 David told Joab and the leaders of the army , “Go , count the number of warriors from Beer Sheba to Dan . Then bring back a report to me so I may know how many we have .” 21:3 Joab replied , “May the Lord make his army a hundred times larger ! My master , O king , do not all of them serve my master ? Why does my master want to do this ? Why bring judgment on Israel ?” 21:4 But the king’s edict stood, despite Joab’s objections . So Joab left and traveled throughout Israel before returning to Jerusalem . 21:5 Joab reported to David the number of warriors . In all Israel there were 1,100,000 sword-wielding soldiers ; Judah alone had 470,000 sword-wielding soldiers . 21:6 Now Joab did not number Levi and Benjamin , for the king’s edict disgusted him. 21:7 God was also offended by it , so he attacked Israel . 21:8 David said to God , “I have sinned greatly by doing this ! Now , please remove the guilt of your servant , for I have acted very foolishly .” 21:9 The Lord told Gad , David’s prophet , 21:10 “Go , tell David , ‘This is what the Lord says : “I am offering you three forms of judgment from which to choose. Pick one of them .”’” 21:11 Gad went to David and told him, “This is what the Lord says : ‘Pick one of these: 21:12 three years of famine , or three months being chased by your enemies and struck down by their swords , or three days being struck down by the Lord , during which a plague will invade the land and the Lord’s messenger will destroy throughout Israel’s territory .’ Now , decide what I should tell the one who sent me.” 21:13 David said to Gad , “I am very upset ! I prefer to be attacked by the Lord , for his mercy is very great ; I do not want to be attacked by men !” 21:14 So the Lord sent a plague through Israel , and 70,000 Israelite men died . 21:15 God sent an angel to ravage Jerusalem . As he was doing so, the Lord watched and relented from his judgment . He told the angel who was destroying , “That’s enough ! Stop now !” Now the Lord’s angel was standing near the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite . 21:16 David looked up and saw the Lord’s messenger standing between the earth and sky with his sword drawn and in his hand , stretched out over Jerusalem . David and the leaders , covered with sackcloth , threw themselves down with their faces to the ground. 21:17 David said to God , “Was I not the one who decided to number the army ? I am the one who sinned and committed this awful deed ! As for these sheep – what have they done ? O Lord my God , attack me and my family , but remove the plague from your people !”

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Bible Dictionary

  • Temptation

    [ebd] (1.) Trial; a being put to the test. Thus God "tempted [Gen. 22: 1; R.V., 'did prove'] Abraham;" and afflictions are said to tempt, i.e., to try, men (James 1:2, 12; comp. Deut. 8:2), putting their faith and patience to the ...
    [nave] TEMPTATION. Gen. 3:1-13; Gen. 20:6; Ex. 34:12 vs. 13-16.; Deut. 7:25; Deut. 8:11-14, 17, 18; Deut. 13:3; 1 Chr. 21:1; 2 Chr. 32:30, 31; Psa. 119:165; Prov. 1:10-17; Prov. 2:10-12, 16; Prov. 4:14, 15; Prov. 5:6-21; Prov. 6:2...

  • David

    [isbe] DAVID - da'-vid (dawidh, or dawidh, "beloved"; Daueid, also in New Testament, Dauid, Dabid; see Thayer's Lexicon): I. NAME AND GENEALOGY II. EARLY YEARS 1. Shepherd 2. Slinger 3. Harpist 4. Poet 5. Psalmist 6. Tribesman III....
    [smith] (well-beloved), the son of Jesse. His life may be divided into three portions: His youth before his introduction to the court of Saul; His relations with Saul; His reign. The early life of David contains in many important re...
    [nave] DAVID 1. King of Israel. Genealogy of, Ruth 4:18-22; 1 Sam. 16:11; 17:12; 1 Chr. 2:3-15; Matt. 1:1-6; Luke 3:31-38. A shepherd, 1 Sam. 16:11. Kills a lion and a bear, 1 Sam. 17:34-36. Anointed king, while a youth, by the ...

  • Gad

    [ebd] fortune; luck. (1.) Jacob's seventh son, by Zilpah, Leah's handmaid, and the brother of Asher (Gen. 30:11-13; 46:16, 18). In the Authorized Version of 30:11 the words, "A troop cometh: and she called," etc., should rather be...
    [smith] (a troop). Jacob?s seventh son, the first-born of Zilpah, Leah?s maid, and whole-brother to Asher. (Genesis 30;11-13; 46:16,18) (B.C. 1753-1740.) "The seer," or "the king?s seer," i.e. David?s (1 Chronicles 29:29; 2 Ch...
    [nave] GAD 1. Jacob's seventh son, Gen. 30:11; 35:26; Ex. 1:4. Children of, Gen. 46:16; Num. 26:15-18; 1 Chr. 5:11. Prophecy concerning, Gen. 49:19. 2. A tribe of Israel. Blessed by Moses, Deut. 33:20. Enumeration of, at Sinai,...

  • Nation

    [nave] NATION Sins of, Isa. 30:1, 2. Chastised, Isa. 14:26, 27; Jer. 5:29; 18:6-10; 25:12-33; Ezek. 2:3-5; 39:23, 24; Dan. 7:9-12; 9:3-16; Hos. 7:12; Joel 1:1-20; Amos 9:9; Zeph. 3:6, 8. Perish, Psa. 9:17; Isa. 60:12. National a...

  • Joab

    [isbe] JOAB - jo'-ab (yo'-abh, "Yahweh is father"; Ioab): (1) Son of Zeruiah, David's sister. He was "captain of the host" (compare 2 Sam 19:13) under David. 1. Joab and Abner: (a) Joab is first introduced in the narrative of the w...
    [nave] JOAB 1. Son of David's sister, 1 Chr. 2:16. Commander of David's army, 2 Sam. 8:16; 20:23; 1 Chr. 11:6; 18:15; 27:34. Dedicated spoils of his battles, 1 Chr. 26:28. Defeated the Jebusites, 1 Chr. 11:6. Defeats and slays ...

  • Census

    [ebd] There are five instances of a census of the Jewish people having been taken. (1.) In the fourth month after the Exodus, when the people were encamped at Sinai. The number of men from twenty years old and upward was then 603,...
    [nave] CENSUS Numbering of Israel by Moses, Ex. 38:26; Num. 1; 3:14-43; 26; by David, 2 Sam. 24:1-9; 1 Chr. 21:1-8; 27:24. A poll tax to be levied at each, Ex. 30:12-16; 38:26. of citizens, Isa. 4:3. Of the Roman Empire, by Caes...

  • Conscience

    [nave] CONSCIENCE. Job 15:21, 24; Job 27:6; Prov. 20:12; Matt. 6:22, 23; Luke 11:33 [Matt. 5:15, 16.] Luke 11:34 [Matt. 6:22.] Luke 11:35, 36; Acts 23:1; Acts 24:16; Rom. 2:14, 15; Rom. 7:15-23; Rom. 9:1; Rom. 14:1-23; 1 Cor. 8:7,...

  • Rulers

    [nave] RULERS Appointed and removed by God. See: Government, God in. Chastised, Dan. 4. See: Nation. Monarchical, See: Kings. Patriarchal, Gen. 27:29, 37. Instances of Nimrod, Gen. 10:8-10. Abraham, Gen. 14:13-24; 17:6; 21:2...

  • Ornan

    [ebd] 1 Chr. 21:15. (See ARAUNAH.)
    [isbe] ORNAN - or'-nan (1 Ch 21:15). See ARAUNAH.
    [smith] (active). (1 Chronicles 21:15; 2 Chronicles 3:1) [ARAUNAH]
    [nave] ORNAN A Jebusite, 1 Chr. 21:15-25, 28; 2 Chr. 3:1. Called Araunah, 2 Sam. 24:16-25.

  • Araunah

    [ebd] agile; also called Ornan 1 Chr. 21:15, a Jebusite who dwelt in Jerusalem before it was taken by the Israelites. The destroying angel, sent to punish David for his vanity in taking a census of the people, was stayed in his wo...
    [isbe] ARAUNAH - a-ro'-na ('arawnah, 2 Sam 24:16,20 ff; 'aranyah 2 Sam 24:18, and 'ornan, 1 Ch 21:15 ff; 2 Ch 3:1, all from a Hebrew root meaning "to be strong"): A Jebusite from whom David at the request of the prophet Gad bought ...
    [nave] ARAUNAH A Jebusite from whom David bought a site for an altar, 2 Sam. 24:16-24. Called also Ornan, 1 Chr. 21:15-25.

  • Miracles

    [nave] MIRACLES. Index of Sub-topics Catalog of, and Supernatural Events, Of Jesus, in Chronological Order, Of the Disciples of Jesus; Convincing Effect of; Design of; Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit; Miscellany of Minor Sub-...

  • Angel

    [ebd] a word signifying, both in the Hebrew and Greek, a "messenger," and hence employed to denote any agent God sends forth to execute his purposes. It is used of an ordinary messenger (Job 1:14: 1 Sam. 11:3; Luke 7:24; 9:52), of...
    [nave] ANGEL. One of the Holy Trinity Trinitarian authorities interpret the Scriptures cited under this topic as referring to Christ, who according to this view was the divine presence in the wilderness. Called Angel, Acts 7:30, ...

  • Choice

    [nave] CHOICE Between judgments, by David, 2 Sam. 24:12; 1 Chr. 21:11-13. The Sier's Deut. 30:19, 20; Josh. 24:15-18; 1 Kin. 18:21 See: Contingencies; Blessing, Contingent on Obedience.

  • Vision

    [nave] VISION, a mode of revelation, Num. 12:6; 1 Sam. 3:1; 2 Chr. 26:5; Psa. 89:19; Prov. 29:18; Jer. 14:14; 23:16; Dan. 1:17; Hos. 12:10; Joel 2:28; Obad. 1; Hab. 2:2; Acts 2:17. Of Abraham, concerning his descendants, Gen. 15:1-...

  • Angel of the Lord

    [nave] ANGEL OF THE LORD Gen. 16:7, 9, 10, 11; 22:11, 15; Ex. 3:2; Num. 22:22; Judg. 2:1, 4; 5:23; 6:11; 13:3, 13; 2 Sam. 24:16; 1 Kin. 19:7; 2 Kin. 1:3, 15; 19:35; 1 Chr. 21:12, 15, 16, 18, 27, 30; 2 Chr. 32:21; Psa. 34:7; 35:5, 6...

  • Satan

    [isbe] SATAN - sa'-tan (saTan), "adversary," from the verb saTan, "to lie in wait" (as adversary); Satan, Satanas, "adversary," diabolos, "Devil," "adversary" or "accuser," kategor (altogether unclassical and unGreek) (used once in...
    [smith] The word itself, the Hebrew satan , is simply an "adversary," and is so used in (1 Samuel 29:4; 2 Samuel 19:22; 1 Kings 6:4; 11:14,23,25; Numbers 22:22,33; Psalms 109:6) This original sense is still found in our Lord...
    [nave] SATAN Called Abaddon, Rev. 9:11; accuser of our brethren, Rev. 12:10; adversary, 1 Pet. 5:8; angel of the bottomless pit, Rev. 9:11; Apollyon, Rev. 9:11; Beelzebub, Matt. 12:24; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15; Belial, 2 Cor. 6:15; th...

  • Repentance

    [nave] REPENTANCE Attributed to God, Gen. 6:6, 7; Ex. 32:14; Deut. 32:36; Judg. 2:18; 1 Sam. 15:11, 29, 35; 2 Sam. 24:16; 1 Chr. 21:15; Psa. 106:45; 110:4; 135:14; Jer. 15:6; 18:8, 10; 26:3; 42:10; Joel 2:13; Amos 7:3, 6; Jonah 3:9...

  • Numbering of the people

    [ebd] Besides the numbering of the tribes mentioned in the history of the wanderings in the wilderness, we have an account of a general census of the whole nation from Dan to Beersheba, which David gave directions to Joab to make ...

  • BEERSHEBA

    [ebd] well of the oath, or well of seven, a well dug by Abraham, and so named because he and Abimelech here entered into a compact (Gen. 21:31). On re-opening it, Isaac gave it the same name (Gen. 26:31-33). It was a favourite pla...
    [isbe] BEERSHEBA - be-er-she'-ba (be'er shebha`; Bersabee): Allotted originally to Simeon (Josh 19:2), one of "the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah" (Josh 15:28). 1. The Meaning of the Name: The most probable ...

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...
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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • 5:13-15 "Despite Joshua's long military experience he had never led an attack on a fortified city that was prepared for a long siege. In fact, of all the walled cities in Palestine, Jericho was probably the most invincible. T...
  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • David probably ordered this census about 975 B.C."After the revolutions of both Absalom and Sheba it would have been reasonable for David to reassess his military situation against the possibility of similar uprisings or othe...
  • David proceeded to offer sacrifices in response to Gad's instructions (v. 18). David needed to commit himself again to God (the burnt offering) and to renew his fellowship with God (the peace offering, v. 25). God instructed ...
  • Achtemeier, Paul J., and Elizabeth Achtemeier. The Old Testament Roots of Our Faith. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1979.Ackerman, James S. "Knowing Good and Evil: A Literary Ananysis of the Court History in 2 Samuel 9-20 and ...
  • Another significant battle occurred between the battle of Ramoth-gilead that the writer recorded in chapter 22 (853 B.C.) and the battles he recorded in chapter 20. Ahab and his Aramean ally Ben-Hadad II (860-841 B.C.) defeat...
  • The central subject of 1 and 2 Chronicles is the temple of God. Someone evidently wrote these books at the end of the Babylonian exile to encourage the Israelites to reestablish Israel's national life in the Promised Land. In...
  • I. Israel's historical roots chs. 1-9A. The lineage of David chs. 1-3B. The house of Israel chs. 4-71. The family of Judah 4:1-232. The family of Simeon 4:24-433. The families of Transjordan ch. 54. The family of Levi ch. 65....
  • "Having established the remnant's genealogical link with the Davidic and priestly lines, he [the writer] focused on the groundwork of the Davidic promises. His design was to show how the kingly and priestly concerns came toge...
  • "In the Chronicler's eyes David's reign consisted of two great religious phases, his movement of the ark to Jerusalem (chs. 13-16) and his preparations for the building of the temple (chs. 17-19 or at least 17-22, 28, 29). Th...
  • The dominating theme in 1 Chronicles is the Davidic Covenant, the receiving of which was the most important event in David's life. God promised to give him an eternal kingdom, and He formalized that promise by making a covena...
  • In some particulars the promises God gave David related to himself personally. However other promises pertained to his descendants and, in particular, to one descendant who would do for Israel much more than David could do. I...
  • Chapter 21 records the fulfillment of God's second personal promise to David, namely, that He would appoint a place where Israel could dwell securely (17:9). This was a promise of peace for Israel, but as the verses following...
  • Numbers in Chronicles That Disagree With Their Old Testament Parallels89HigherSameLowerParallel PassageEvaluation of ChroniclesA.1 Chron. 11:11300 slain by Jashobeam, not 8002 Sam. 23:8Scribal errorB.1 Chron. 18:4Hadadezer's ...
  • Ackroyd, Peter R. I and II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah. London: SCM Press, 1973.Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The Macmillan Bible Atlas. Revised ed., New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1977.Albright, William F. Arc...
  • The Chronicler's main interest in David's reign, as we have seen, focused on the Davidic Covenant with its promises to David and his descendants. In recounting the events of Solomon's reign he proceeded to emphasize the templ...
  • This section of the text is similar to 1 Chronicles 18-21. Those chapters showed how God did keep His promises to David that the Chronicler recorded in 1 Chronicles 17:8-12. These chapters (8-9) show how God kept His promise ...
  • 38:1-2 The Lord commanded Ezekiel to utter an oracle of judgment against Gog (cf. 1 Chron. 5:4; Rev. 20:8), who was the prince (king) over Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. His land was Magog (cf. Gen. 10:2; Rev. 20:8).The identity o...
  • 3:1 Zechariah's guiding angel next showed the prophet, in his vision, Joshua (lit. Yahweh saves), Israel's current high priest (6:11; Ezra 5:2; Neh. 7:7; Hag. 1:1), standing before the angel of the Lord (1:11-12). "The accuse...
  • This last part of Jesus' conversation with His disciples in the upper room is unique to Luke. It continues the theme of Jesus' rejection leading to death and what the disciples could expect in view of that rejection.22:35 Jes...
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